Stories & Updates

Horn Entrepreneurship’s Summer Founders Pre-accelerator came to an end with Demo Day on August 19, 2021. However, the founders continued progress towards more successful startups never ends. The unique experience of Summer Founders increases the possibility of students launching viable startups and social ventures, all while gaining valuable advice that will provide dividends in the coming years. Summer Founders includes all aspects of an accelerator except a financial investment, with cohort members receiving guidance from experienced entrepreneurs, advisors and mentors. The founders are also paid stipends to allow them to fully focus on their startup pursuits as long as they continue to demonstrate progress, much like how they might need to sell an investor on progress to get a next round of funding.

We are sharing this highlight of Delaware Innovation Fellow Miranda Petti and her journey serving abroad as a Senior Airman of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Command while enrolled in her sophomore year at University of Delaware. Read the full story on UDaily.

The MakerGym got off to a quiet but impactful start this past spring semester with the introduction of the Make It Happen Challenge. The inaugural cohort successfully completed work that further advanced their innovative product ideas. The challenge is designed to assist those students with design, funding or fabrication help and to gain access to the training, tools, materials and mentoring needed. The Make It Happen Challenge is co-presented by the UD MakerGym and Horn Entrepreneurship in both spring and fall semesters.

With environmental problems persisting and increasing around the globe, entrepreneurs and change makers are working on new and bold ideas that can tackle the world's foremost sustainability challenges.

Horn Entrepreneurship held its 2021 Spring Pitch Party virtually this past Wednesday, an event where students were able to pitch ideas for business ventures with the possibility of winning awards and prizes.

Horn Entrepreneurship and eClub welcome alumni Lily Wolfe, Brianna Bannach, and Farhad Baqi as judges for this year's Spring Pitch Party on March 31 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. over Zoom! Join the audience and spectate as UD student teams pitch innovative ventures for a total of $1,500 in funding and resources.

In the spaces of creative disruption where entrepreneurs operate, the skills of effective leadership have always been of key importance, and are inextricably tied to the spirit of innovation. However, before anyone can even begin to become a leader of others, they must first learn to lead themselves.

As an aspiring entrepreneur from Wilmington, Delaware, Mike Shumate is no stranger to stepping outside of his comfort zone. Over the course of his time in the Associates in Arts Program, Shumate has quickly made a name for himself through his engagement across a number of Horn Entrepreneurship’s programs and competitions.

The WE Hatch Practical Insights & Networking Conversations series connects participants with two successful women (a recent graduate and an experienced alumnae leader), who share insights into their careers they wish they had known, practiced or explored earlier. In the virtual sessions participants have the opportunity to listen, discuss, and network in breakout rooms.