Blue Hen 17&43 Awards

Recognizing the Best of the University of Delaware

Blue Hen 17&43 awards highlight the businesses and social ventures that are creating value, jobs, new technologies, and products while building a better world. They are innovative, creative, and successful.

The Blue Hen 17&43 Awards celebrate and recognize the achievements of Blue Hen led businesses.

What is the value of winning a Blue Hen 17&43 Award?

Blue Hen 17&43 Award winners are announced throughout the University of Delaware and alumni channels. Horn Entrepreneurship recognize the award winners on its website and social media pages.

Blue Hen 17&43 Award winners are invited to engage with UD students by speaking to a class, serving as a mentor, or helping to judge one of the many new venture pitch competitions held at the University of Delaware.

Being an award winner also introduces leaders from across industries and locations to one another for networking and potential collaboration.

Award winners will be recognized by the University of Delaware at a celebration dinner on Thursday, October 27, 2022.

Selection Criteria

To be eligible for a Blue Hen 17 & 43 Award, at least one C-suite executive, managing director or principal owner must be a University of Delaware graduate. In addition, businesses must meet AT LEAST ONE of the following criteria:

  • Generate total annual revenues of $500,000+ in the most recent fiscal year and revenue growth of at least 10% per year over the last 3 years,
  • Employ 25+ Blue Hens, OR
  • Have been founded less than 5 years ago (for example, no later than 2017 for the 2022 awards) while also demonstrating market traction and exceptional potential to generate revenues, create jobs or make a positive social impact in the future.

There is no limit to the number of times a business can be recognized as an Award winner.

TIMELINE

May 1, 2022

Application opens (based on FY2019-21)

July 11, 2022

Application deadline

October 18, 2022

Blue Hen 17&43 Awards Celebration

RECOGNITION AND AWARD DINNER

All Blue Hen leaders whose companies are recognized as 17&43 Award recipients will be recognized at the awards celebration on October 27, 2022.

About the Blue Hen 17&43 Awards

The Blue Hen 17&43 Awards build on the University of Delaware’s long tradition of leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship that began when the university was founded in 1743. It honors promising new ventures and growing companies founded or led by our students and alumni. This project is a collaboration of UD’s Horn Entrepreneurship and Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics.