Venture Development
Activate Your Passion
Horn Entrepreneurship’s Venture Support and Commercialization programs provide a continuum of guidance and valuable resources to members of the UD community as they pursue new ideas for a better world, explore their professional interests and activate their passions.
The past year has been the most transformative of my life. Being immersed in a startup atmosphere, and developing a degree of expertise in the biotech space specifically, has been invaluable for both my personal and career growth.
Signature Programs
Solving societal problems
Big Ideas Challenge
Grants for STEM-based technologies
NSF I-Corps
12-week pre-accelerator program
Summer Founders
Mentorship, support and resources
VentureOn
Startup funding competition
Hen Hatch
Funding & training
Proof of Concept
guidance from industry professionals
ExpertConnect
Mentoring for startups
Venture Mentoring Service
International Students
International students on F-1 and J-1 visas are strongly encouraged to discuss any entrepreneurship, start-up, or volunteer opportunities with the Center for Global Programs and Services prior to accepting the position. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security restricts certain practical training options (whether paid or unpaid) for F-1 and J-1 students unless they have prior authorization from the government. Please note that even if an international student is not being paid or is volunteering, they may still require authorization.
If you are an F-1 or J-1 international student considering work, volunteering, self-employment, or start-up ventures (even if they are part of a class project or as part of your program of study), please contact an immigration advisor at CGPS to discuss your options and requirements for maintaining status in the U.S. Additional information can be found on the CGPS Employment page.
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Bridging Design and Manufacturing: Meet Alumnus Rich Hayburn
January 12, 2026 | Written by Horn EntrepreneurshipRelay Manufacturing was founded by Rich Hayburn, a University of Delaware Class of 2020 graduate who studied Mechanical Engineering with an Integrated Design minor, along with a math minor and manufacturing concentration. While at UD, Rich leaned into Horn Entrepreneurship through Summer Founders, NSF I-Corps, and VentureOn, experiences that helped him turn hands-on problem solving into a growing business. -
UD Alumna & Founder Annabelle Brame is Reshaping Sustainable Fashion
January 05, 2026 | Written by Horn EntrepreneurshipA 2024 graduate with a BS in Fashion Design & Product Innovation and a minor in Entrepreneurship, Annabelle built the foundation of her fashion label, Brame, through Horn Entrepreneurship programs including Summer Founders, REEF, and VentureOn. Today, she’s crafting an entirely new conversation around ethical design, adaptable apparel, and what it means to build a fashion house rooted in purpose. -
Startup tackling spiked drinks wins over Hen Hatch judges
December 12, 2025 | Written by Horn EntrepreneurshipThe final round of Hen Hatch featured four teams with widely divergent concepts: straws that change color to discreetly reveal spiked drinks, an app for women to manage chronic health conditions, a clothing line that supports animal shelters and autonomous robots that look for leaks in water lines.
