Stories & Updates

This article was originally posted by the Lerner School of Business and Economics as part of their "Seeing Opportunity" series.

As he sat in class listening to the lecture, Nicholai Williamson was taken aback. The native of Jamaica had been drawn to the University of Delaware in part because of the strength of its entrepreneurship programs, and now his entrepreneurship instructor was saying that the sooner he failed, the better.

Take control of your summer and embark on the journey of entrepreneurship. Join the Summer Founders Pre-Accelerator at Horn Entrepreneurship, where you can be the captain of your startup, receive a stipend, and collaborate with fellow student visionaries. Throughout a three month period, tap into the expertise of seasoned entrepreneurs and investors, enjoy 24/7 access to a dedicated workspace, and delve into the principles of evidence-based entrepreneurship. Plus, if you choose, you can earn 3 credits while doing so—all of this, while obtaining valuable information about entrepreneurship.

Congratulations to our 2023 Fall Pitch Party winner, Jenna Tomasch.  Jenna is a junior here at UD, with a double major in Fashion Design and Product Innovation and minors in Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Apparel, Textile Innovation, and Functional Wearable Design. She also has a creative making entrepreneurship certificate. Jenna won this year's pitch party with her innovation, “Maker Pants”.

Another celebratory night in the books where innovative students and professionals came together to embrace the true essence of entrepreneurship at one of our biggest events of the year.  On Thursday, Nov. 16th at The Tower Audion at UD’s STAR Campus, Horn Entrepreneurship’s premier startup funding competition Hen Hatch, officially concluded after the third and final round. After months and months of passionate hard work from teams striving for a spot in the final pitching round, four young innovators secured their finalist position and a chance to pitch for the top spot plus a piece of the prize pool at 2023 Hen Hatch.  

Horn Entrepreneurship and the Lerner College of Business and Economics are thrilled to announce the prestigious recipients of the 2023 Blue Hen 17&43 Awards. Recognizing that economic growth depends on the creation of new businesses, this year’s Blue Hen 17&43 Awards focused strictly on the most promising new businesses. This annual accolade, which was established in 2017, celebrates the University of Delaware’s rich history of leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship by recognizing exceptional early-stage startups led by Blue Hen entrepreneurs. The 17 ventures honored in this year's awards exemplify the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial excellence within our community.

After careful consideration, Horn Entrepreneurship has selected the finalists for Hen Hatch, the University of Delaware’s premier startup competition held annually.  The entries this year show a wide array of students passionate about entrepreneurship, coming from a variety of colleges, majors, and interests. As difficult as the teams made it for our judges to come to a decision, we have successfully narrowed it down to a few especially promising innovators that we are excited to highlight in the final round. Students, alumni, and other community members interested in watching the Hen Hatch final round can register for the event to reserve a seat or watch from home via a live stream.

The Fall Pitch Party, hosted by the Entrepreneurship Club and Horn Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware, brought a night filled with creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit on October 25th at the Venture Development Center. The annual competition, which was Halloween-themed this year, serves as a platform for budding entrepreneurs to share their game-changing ideas and receive feedback from a panel of experienced entrepreneurs. 

On October 6th and 7th, University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship hosted the REEF@UD Eco Entrepreneurship Design Sprint, a special event that brought together innovative minds to address the pressing issue of climate change and its impact on coastal regions. The event, titled "Shoring Up Against Climate Change: Design for Coastal Resilience," showcased the power of entrepreneurial thinking in finding sustainable solutions to protect vulnerable coastal communities.

Kenny Eck started his first company when he was just 7, and his sixth startup hits a huge milestone this year: a consistent revenue stream, along with plans for a physical office and new services.

In the face of an ever-escalating climate crisis, the need for innovative solutions has never been more critical. Now, more than ever, we require a dynamic, multidisciplinary approach to tackle the pressing challenges posed by climate change. The University of Delaware's REEF@UD Eco Entrepreneurship program invites scientists, engineers, policy makers, entrepreneurs, artists, and anyone eager to make a difference to join us in a two-day Eco Sprint dedicated to developing creative solutions for coastal resilience in Delaware and beyond.The sprint, titled Shoring Up Against Climate Change: Design for Coastal Resilience, will be hosted Friday, Oct. 6, from 4pm to 8pm & Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10am to 2pm at the Venture Development Center.