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.

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.

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.

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.

The Horn Hen of the Month article series is a series dedicated to highlighting Horn students who are inspiring others and impacting their community. One nominated Horn student will be chosen each month and a written feature will document their hard work and progress as they go through their time at Horn, within our community, and beyond. The winning student will also receive a gift card and a Horn Hen of the Month certificate. To nominate a student, fill out this Google form. Any student involved with Horn Entrepreneurship is eligible to be nominated.

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”.

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. 

Horn Entrepreneurship and E-Club once again hosted the Spring Pitch Party on April 12 at the Venture Development Center, bringing exciting ideas and ventures to the spotlight in a Hollywood-themed exhibition. The evening featured 15 innovative pitches from University of Delaware students of varying majors and experience levels, each with their own unique startup ideas to share with the packed audience.

Earn Money for Pitching Your Startup Idea!

Do you have a cool idea for a product or service?  Live at the Venture Development Center on April 12 from 6-7:30 pm, Horn Entrepreneurship and E-Club’s annual Spring Pitch Party is the perfect place to share your ideas, practice pitching to a panel of young entrepreneurial alumni judges and audience of peers, and receive feedback on your concept and presentation. Pitch parties are meant for those new to pitching an idea, so the environment is encouraging, casual and low-stress, making it a great way to get involved with the Horn Entrepreneurship community! The event also features $500 in cash prizes, topical awards, and $20 gift cards for every person who pitches!