Stories & Updates

Six teams comprised of students and alumni from across several colleges, including Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, College of Arts & Sciences and College of Engineering, are advancing to the final round of Hen Hatch, UD’s premier startup funding competition. Finalist teams will pitch before a panel of accomplished judges and an audience of regional business leaders, experienced entrepreneurs and the broader UD community for a share of a $100,000 prize pool.

Jason Bamford recognized a need for a more immersive experience in entrepreneurial education at the University of Delaware and three months after a compelling conversation with Vince DiFelice, the Horn Entrepreneurship Summer Founders pre-accelerator program was born.

The University of Delaware’s Horn Entrepreneurship invites submissions from UD students, faculty, staff and alumni for Hen Hatch 2019, the university’s premier startup funding competition.

University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship will hold the inaugural Tech Innovation Showcase on Thursday, Oct. 4 at the Perkins Student Center from 12:30 to 5 p.m. The showcase is an opportunity to engage with UD’s top scientists and engineers who are creating solutions to the world’s biggest problems, and features seventeen presenter teams.

Cassidy Nalbone experienced a minor setback when a position with a student event group fell through. With that came some uncertainty in her own abilities.

Rather than allowing failure to define her, Cassidy found success in her own response to a difficult situation.

For Matt Wilens, entrepreneurship was the final piece of the puzzle, the component of his education that connected the dots and solidified the value of his degree.

Matt Phifer found his way into entrepreneurship on a whim. The exercise science student was introduced to Horn Entrepreneurship through a seemingly trivial conversation with a friend that ended up being critical to Matt’s future development.

Like many young students coming into their college experience, Daphne Vantine had little conviction of what she truly wanted to do. By embracing new opportunities, Daphne was able to carve a path that is uniquely hers.

Winners of the Hen Hatch competition were announced during its final round on Tuesday at the World Café Live at the Queen in Wilmington, Delaware.

Hen Hatch, hosted by Horn Entrepreneurship, is the University of Delaware’s premier startup funding competition. With two different tracks, one for UD students and one for alumni, faculty and staff, Hen Hatch provides participants with the opportunity to make connections and collect feedback on their ideas.

The Blue Hen 17 & 43 awards celebrate the University of Delaware’s tradition of leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship. It recognizes the 17 most- promising ventures and 43 fastest-growing companies founded, owned or led by UD students and alumni.