Stories & Updates

Covid-19 hasn't stopped senior instructor DiFelice, pictured above, from continuing to serve in important mentorship roles for Horn Entrepreneurship students from his own home.

As 2020 Hen Hatch finalists prepare for the busy days ahead leading up to the Hen Hatch competition’s final round where everyone is invited to attend on Dec. 3. The Horn Entrepreneurship team had a chance to reflect on Hen Hatch with Horn community members who have been directly involved in the startup competition.

After a record number of team submissions, the finalists for Hen Hatch 2020, Horn Entrepreneurship’s much-anticipated premier startup competition, have been announced. The following teams of finalists will include three teams from each of the Pre- and Post-Revenue tracks that will compete in the final round of the 2020 Hen Hatch competition that is set to take place virtually on Dec. 3 2020 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Hen Hatch, Horn Entrepreneurship’s premier startup funding competition, will hold its semifinal round on Nov. 5, 2020 to determine which six most promising business concepts will advance to the finals to be held on Dec. 3, 2020. The 20 semifinalist teams have already progressed through one round of judging.

This past spring’s Delaware Innovation Fellows Senior Showcase included 10 different innovation projects from students of the program’s first graduating class.

After a long and intensive 12-week program, Horn Entrepreneurship's Summer Founders assembled virtually this Tuesday for the pre-accelerator’s 5th annual Summer Founders Demo Day. With 18 teams and over 130 total attendees at the virtual event, this year’s Demo Day marks the program’s biggest yet.

Early June, we found out that University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship will welcome its largest cohort of students to Summer Founders 2020 virtually. This group of students was composed of twenty-two startup teams totaling 34 students in the 12-week virtual pre-accelerator. During these virtual summer weeks, our founders have been receiving mentorship, education, and resources to develop and advance their concepts. Since going virtual, the groups have seen their fair share of ups and downs. The biggest include how to advance their concepts and build relationships with their teams all through a computer screen. 

Adapting to the Big Shift to Online Events

Four months ago we were sent home to limit our in person interactions.  We were amateurs but zoom was there to help. We forgave the family interruptions and learned everyone's pet’s name, and sometimes could not find that link!  It was new to everyone and it was comforting to see others struggle with the new normal like you were. Now four months have gone by and we no longer have a pass on its 

It’s not everyday that you find yourself pitching in the presence of the “Tiger King” himself. But for participants of VentureOn’s most recent spring pitch party, the Joe Exotic cameo was just one of the quirks that came with having to pitch virtually.

University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship’s 2020 Diamond Challenge this year conquered its own big challenge: pivoting from a three-day campus program to two weeks of creative and expanded virtual sessions.

Horn Entrepreneurship invites all current University of Delaware students to attend the spring pitch party! The spring pitch party is a biannual event hosted by Horn Entrepreneurship in which students are given 90 seconds to pitch their most interesting business ideas to a small group of judges and attendees with an opportunity to win a prize. This event is a perfect way for UD students of any background to get experience with pitching business ideas and getting their creative propositions out there.