The latest recipients for Blue Hen 17&43 Most Promising Venture awards were announced at the first Blue Hen Innovation Fest. These awards are Horn Entrepreneurship and the Lerner College of Business & Economics' annual recognition of the University of Delaware's most promising early-stage startups.
The winners:
Archie, founded by Dustin Parker, ’11, and his wife, Rachel, ‘09. Archie is an AI-powered end-to-end real estate operating system is the latest venture for the pair based in Georgetown, DE.
Ascend Legacy Academy, founded by Chanel Gaither, MPA ’13, EdD ’22. “Ascend Legacy Academy is the first Black-owned, single-gender, international boarding school created in the United States since the 1970s”, according to Chanel.
BonafydeOfficial, Inc., founded by undergraduate Nicholai Williamson. Bonafyde “exists to illuminate the path to higher education for international high schoolers, fostering a sense of clarity and confidence utilizing current undergraduate students as sources of information to help with the college selection process”, according to Nicho.
Brame, founded by Annabelle Brame, ’24. Brame aims to normalize eco-conscious fashion in luxury by introducing life cycle appropriate materials, deadstock fabric, and ethical production. Recently featured on the Tamara Hall Show as an upcoming designer, Annabelle is an alumnae to watch.
CFO Flex Consulting, founded by Jennifer Rowland, ’90. CFO Flex is a “consulting firm for mid-market growth companies in transition needing interim audit, finance, and governance processes and leadership.” With significant experience with Startups, Jennifer is also helping early stage entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses.
Daphne Rae Creative, founded by Daphne Vantine, ’18. The artist “brings her vibrant worldview to life through gouache paint,” she wrote. Daphne creates original paintings, prints, and greeting cards as well as commissioned work.
Main Line Studios, co-founded by Stacey Grant, ’91. “Gurus and Game Changers,” her video podcast , “spotlights inspiring leaders or mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.” From independent creators to large production teams, Main Line Studios provide the ideal environment and tools to bring creative content projects to life.
Mental Health Literacy Collaborative, co-founded by Anne Slease, ’03. “Inspired by her personal experience navigating family mental illness without information or support, she repurposed her 25-year teaching career into mental health advocacy,” she wrote.
Nitro BioSciences, co-founded by Neil Butler, PhD ’23. Nitro is “developing a platform to create next-generation vaccines for diseases currently lacking clinically approved products,” he wrote.
PCOnline, co-founded by Charles Zhang, ’21 and Ryan (Liyuan) Chen, PhD ’14. “PCOnline is one of the nation’s leading e-commerce suppliers of consumer electronics and computer equipment.”
Stemmer, founded by Sam Goetz, ’21. Stemmer “lets music creators earn a passive income with their own fine-tuned mastering portals.”
Tom’s Refurb, founded by Tom Stauffer, ’23. Stauffer “aims to 'keep hot rodding alive’ through unique, relatable automotive content,” he told UD.
Transfer Mortgage, co-founded by Dean Sheaffer, ’12 and Frank McKelvey ‘86. Transfer Mortgage uses “patent-pending technologies to quantify the value of assumable mortgages for real estate agencies and their clients.”
About Horn Entrepreneurship
Horn Entrepreneurship serves as the creative engine for entrepreneurship education and advancement at the University of Delaware. Currently ranked among the best entrepreneurship programs in the U.S., horn Entrepreneurship was built and is actively supported by successful entrepreneurs, empowering aspiring innovators as they pursue new ideas for a better world.
