Stories & Updates

The Venture Development Center was packed Wednesday night for the 2024 Fall Pitch Party. The event, designed for students new to pitching, provided a stage for innovative ideas, a space for networking, and a showcase for student startups. Everyone who participated received a $20 gift card, while the top 3 received monetary prizes in recognition of their outstanding presentations and concept potential.

Eleven teams advanced to the second round of Hen Hatch, UD’s premier startup funding competition. These semifinalists will compete on October 25 to find out which of the promising concepts will advance to the final round of Hen Hatch at the 2024 Blue Hen Innovation Fest on December 5.

Do you have an idea for a new product or service?  The Fall Pitch Party will occur at the Venture Development Center on Wednesday, October 23 from 6 pm-7:30 pm. The Pitch Party is a unique event tailored for UD students who are new to the experience of pitching ideas.

Over the past year, University of Delaware’s community of brilliant entrepreneurs and innovators continues to shine, leaving a trail of impressive achievements in their wake. From securing vital funding through investments and grants to earning top honors in awards and competitions, UD students, faculty, and alumni consistently push the boundaries of excellence. Their hard work and ingenuity have garnered well-deserved recognition from notable figures and publications alike. Below, we celebrate their remarkable accomplishments, categorized by the incredible contributions of the students, alumni, faculty & staff, and the Horn National Advisory Board.

The 4th Annual Ratcliffe Eco Entrepreneurship Fellows Pitch Day, hosted by Horn Entrepreneurship at the Venture Development Center recently took place Monday May 6. Nine participants with a strong passion for the environment and sustainability came together to pitch their ideas to the judges and compete for a grab at the cash prize. Ideas ranged in all areas from, sustainable home buying, to energy conversion, to aquatic ecosystem preservation.

On April 10th, Horn Entrepreneurship and the E-Club hosted the fan favorite 2024 Spring Pitch party at the Venture Development Center, which was transformed into a charming tropical getaway for the night. During this school year, once again driven and zealous entrepreneurial talents were brought together ready to pitch their ideas against each other, whether it's for some pitching practice or the cash prize. The night consisted of 15 90 second pitches from students of varying majors and experience levels, each with their own unique startup ideas to share with the eager audience.

Where ideas meet innovation and charisma meets community, 2024 Diamond Challenge Summit. From April 25th to 27th, a conference celebrating entrepreneurial high school students from all around the globe, featured workshops, panel discussions, innovation sprints, and networking opportunities. Over the past few days, we've witnessed a convergence of groundbreaking ideas, disruptive strategies, and valuable insights shared by some of the brightest minds in the entrepreneurial landscape. 

At the Hen Hatch 2023 event, a gathering of outstanding young entrepreneurs demonstrated their dedication and willingness to put in the work to compete for funding based on their ventures. Amongst the other entrepreneurs participating in the innovation showcase and the finalist round, Samantha McGhee shined bright. She was able to pitch Miss Boulevard with grace and charisma that engaged the crowd and judges. Landing her some crucial funding for her entrepreneurial journey.

Embarking on the quest for a new natural skincare brand can indeed be a daunting task, as the array of options can be overwhelming. The challenge often lies in deciphering the lengthy list of ingredients on the back of  product labels, with some names sounding like a foreign language. Finding a natural skincare brand can often be challenging, but look no further. Arima Skincare, created by Arielle Mahugu, is a natural skincare brand that won second place in the Pitch Party last fall.  Arielle is a freshman medical diagnostics pre-med student who has a passion for skincare since discovering the harmful chemicals that many brands include in their products.

Heading down Main Street on a Saturday night with your best friends determined to have a fun time at the bar is a common story for many students here at the University of Delaware and universities in general. Most students know the danger associated with drinking recklessly and take precautions to be responsible drinkers, however, there is one scenario that can get the better of even the most vigilant people. Someone slipping “something” into their drink. An unfortunate situation that has been victimizing innocent drinkers all around the world.