The campus field guide
University of Delaware
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Inside this ecosystem · 6 linked sources
The University of Delaware runs undergraduate startup activity through Horn Entrepreneurship in Newark. Horn is the hub for mentoring, competitions, and workspace, and the university describes it as the cornerstone of the Neil Book School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Students can enter Hen Hatch, a competition with prizes totaling $50,000; Summer Founders, an 11-week pre-accelerator whose page says UD does not take equity; REEF@UD, an eco-entrepreneurship fellowship with $50,000 awards; and Pitch Party, a semester 90-second pitch. The Venture Development Center at 132 E. Delaware Avenue is the shared workspace.
This listing was compiled from public university pages on October 8, 2026. It is unclaimed and has not been confirmed by the school or a program director.
Include. Delaware's flagship publishes a staffed entrepreneurship school, a $50,000 student competition, an equity-free summer pre-accelerator, a $50,000 eco-fellowship, and a campus workspace..
How we know this: the figures on this page come from the linked sources (last verified 2026-10-08); what those sources do not state is left unknown.
At a glance
Indexed programs
6
All currently active
Top direct funding
$50,000
Hen Hatch
Equity
No equity on indexed programs
Program mix
4
Pitch Competition · Entrepreneurship Center · Accelerator
Programs to explore
Compare funding, equity, and timing before you apply.
6 programs indexed
Pitch Competition
Hen Hatch
Pitch Competition$50,000
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students
- Verification
- Unverified
Pitch Party
Pitch Competition$500
funding range
- Last activity
- 2026-04-29
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students
- Verification
- Unverified
Accelerator
$50,000
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students +more
- Verification
- Unverified
Summer Founders
Accelerator—
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students +more
- Verification
- Unverified
Incubator
—
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Alumni +more
- Verification
- Unverified
Entrepreneurship Center
—
funding range
- Last activity
- —
- Participants
- Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students +more
- Verification
- Unverified
From students
Be the first student from University of Delaware to post a startup.
Post a startupFunding and Equity
Hen Hatch lists prizes totaling $50,000. Summer Founders pays a stipend and states that donors and UD do not take equity; the dollar amount is not published. REEF@UD offers up to three 12-month $50,000 fellowships. Pitch Party states a $500 pool and also lists $300, $200, and $100. The Horn homepage cites $156 million in funding for student and alumni ventures.
Recent Activity
A May 7, 2026 Horn story says Spring Pitch Party was held April 29, 2026. The homepage says eleven teams were selected for 2026 Summer Founders. Hen Hatch's captured 2026 schedule runs through finals on December 3, 2026. A May 12, 2026 item reports the trustees' vote to establish the Neil Book School.
Known Startups and Winners
Named on the captured pages: Polaris Pathways, Relay Manufacturing, Brame, Island Dream Clean, and Hen Hatch finalists including SafeSip, Happy Dog Surf Shop, and PipeBot Fix. Pitch Party's latest named first place is MalAI.
Research gaps & things to verify
Missing Information
Summer Founders stipend dollars, the 2026 team list, the Hen Hatch prize split, and whether REEF or Hen Hatch take equity.
More about this ecosystem
University of Delaware
News & articles
6 news articles and official sources documenting entrepreneurship programs, winners, and activity at University of Delaware.
6 sources
Official sources(6)
University of Delaware
Hen Hatch
Official Hen Hatch competition page.
Read on University of Delaware
University of Delaware
Horn Entrepreneurship
Official Horn Entrepreneurship homepage.
Read on University of Delaware
University of Delaware
REEF@UD
Official Ratcliffe Eco-Entrepreneurship Fellows page.
Read on University of Delaware
University of Delaware
Summer Founders
Official pre-accelerator page.
Read on University of Delaware
University of Delaware
Venture Development Center
Official page for the Newark workspace.
Read on University of Delaware
University of Delaware
Pitch Party
Official Pitch Party page, including a May 7, 2026 story.
Read on University of Delaware
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