Stories & Updates

On a morning in April, Nicholai Williamson, CEO of BonaFyde and University of Delaware alum, addressed a room of 500 young entrepreneurs and their chaperones from around the globe.

Through the Siegfried Fellows Program at the University of Delaware, students recently spent a day in Washington, D.C., engaging with leaders across consulting, global strategy, cybersecurity, and organizational research. While each speaker came from a different professional background, Fellows encountered a consistent message throughout the trip: meaningful work is driven not just by achievement, but by intention, curiosity, and purpose.

Spring is bringing the energy, and Pitch Party is bringing the ideas! On Wednesday, April 29, at 6 p.m. the Spring Pitch Party will transform the Venture Development Center into a Start Up Farmer’s Market of fresh ideas and fresh pitches. With student ventures showcased around the perimeter of the Co-Lab and live pitches taking center stage, this year’s event will feel like a farmers market for entrepreneurship: full of fresh thinking, creative concepts, and founders ready to put their ideas out into the world. Register to attend by April 26.

The fifth annual Ratcliffe Eco Entrepreneurship Fellows (REEF@UD) Demo Day is quickly approaching! On Monday, May 4, from 4-7 p.m. at the Venture Development Center, a variety of student teams will take the stage in front of expert judges to pitch their original, clever new solutions that push to innovate and fight against pressing environmental challenges.  Please register to attend by April 30.

Arielle Mahugu, Class of 2027, is turning her interest in science and wellness into something tangible through Arima Skincare. A Biological Sciences major with a Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor, Arielle is building a skincare brand while balancing academics, leadership roles, and hands-on entrepreneurial experiences through Horn. From Pitch Party and VentureOn to Hen Hatch and E-Club, Arielle has been steadily growing as both a founder and a student leader.

From housing to fightwear to agricultural robotics, UD Summer Founders alumni share how 12 weeks of mentoring and customer discovery changed everything.

Before she ever joined Horn full-time, Sophia Cressman already felt right at home in the Venture Development Center as a Siegfried Fellow, a Delaware Innovation Fellow, and one of those friendly faces you just expect to see around the VDC. Now, as Program Coordinator for the Siegfried Fellows and the UD Coalition on Character Development, Sophia helps students grow as leaders through mentorship, meaningful conversations, and days that are anything but routine. If you’ve walked into the VDC lately, there’s a good chance you’ve been welcomed by Sophia from her front-corner office. Keep reading to learn what fuels her work, what she’s up to when she’s off the clock (spoiler: live music + beach days), and a fun fact you definitely won’t see coming.

On March 5, high school students from across the Delaware Valley gathered at Clayton Hall at University of Delaware for the 2026 EntreX Delaware Venture Showcase. Representing schools from throughout the region, these aspiring entrepreneurs pitched their startup ideas to a panel of experienced judges for a chance to win $500 and earn a spot in Diamond Challenge finals at the prestigious 2026 Limitless World Summit.

Powered by a social entrepreneur’s mindset and a global perspective shaped in northern Ghana, Yakubu Adam brings purpose-driven energy to Horn. At the heart of his work is real care for people, whether he’s welcoming others with a good meal, engaging with researchers as they explore entrepreneurship, or building ventures that create meaningful jobs for young people. In this Q&A, Yakubu shares his path to Horn, what he’s working on now, and what keeps him inspired.

High school students from across the mid-Atlantic stepped into the spotlight on February 25 for the 2026 EntreX Regional Venture Showcase. These aspiring entrepreneurs pitched their startup ideas to a panel of expert judges, competing for $500 and a spot in the Diamond Challenge finals at the 2026 Limitless World Summit.