Stories & Updates

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.

Entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey have access to a wide array of resources at UD. One such resource is the NSF I-Corps @ UD Propelus program, which trains teams in evidence-based entrepreneurship over four weeks. Meet the teams in Propelus Cohort 1.

Horn Entrepreneurship recently kicked off the academic year with a vibrant welcome party for entrepreneurship majors. The welcome party, themed “Camp Horn,” was designed to immerse students in a lively, camp-inspired atmosphere, fostering connections, and excitement as they start the fall semester. With themed decorations and engaging activities, the gathering offered a perfect blend of networking, refreshments, and fun.

Horn Entrepreneurship’s Enrichment programs enhance the college experience by bringing students into a supportive community of like-minded peers while helping them gain valuable skills, experiences, and connections outside the classroom.

(This article was written by Kevin Tritt and originally published on the Lerner blog)

Lerner graduate student Saviour Anyagri establishes an organization to provide schooling for students in Ghana

For Saviour Anyargi, earning his MBA in business analyticsthis spring from the University of Delaware was one more accomplishment in his quest to provide equitable educational opportunities for children across the globe or in his homeland.

Johann Ducharme, assistant professor of entrepreneurship and faculty director of the Siegfried Fellows, was awarded a $50,000 grant from The Educating Character Initiative (ECI), a part of the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, for the project “Institutional Consensus of Character Education at the University of Delaware.”

Summer Founders: Demo Day 2024 

On August 15, 2024, the teams from Summer Founders showcased their ventures at Demo Day. Summer Founders is a 12-week pre-accelerator program where students are tasked to search for  repeatable and scalable business models that are able to solve both commercial and social problems. The students were granted a stipend during this program and were also given weekly mentoring and education sessions. The flexible structure of the program allows each team to achieve unique goals. Demo Day is the conclusion of Summer Founders, providing teams the opportunity to present their projects, demonstrate how the program has influenced their work, and connect with community members, peers, and mentors while sharing their summer progress on their venture. 

The Summer Founders program is a 12-week pre-accelerator initiative from June 3 to August 15. During this time, students will receive a stipend while working on developing their ventures. The program features weekly mentoring, educational sessions, and progress meetings with advisors. Its flexible structure and individualized mentorship allow each team to focus on achieving their unique goals. The program culminates in "Demo Day," a presentation to mentors, advisors, and stakeholders on Thursday, August 15th, where student participation is mandatory. Participants are required to work on the University of Delaware campus throughout the program.  The teams in the efficiency theme include ArPlan, One Click Docs, Kitch Co., Offshore Fishing Intel Service.