University of Delaware students Jason Bamford, Keith Doggett and Jordan Gonzalez of GeoSwap; Danilo Vicioso of Influencia; and Avalon Green, Palina Ivanova, Emma Lynch and Rachel Weinberger of Revive are advancing to the final round of Hen Hatch 2017, the University’s premier startup funding competition.

These teams will pitch their business concepts and compete for $100,000-plus prize pool at World Café Live at the Queen in Wilmington, DE, on April 25.  

“We are pleased to provide guidance to these entrepreneurs. They are UD students, and we are here for them first and foremost. They are actively engaged in Horn Entrepreneurship co-curricular programming, add value to the UD entrepreneurial community and devote themselves to solving important societal and customer problems,” said Vince DiFelice, faculty member and venture support lead with UD’s Horn Program in Entrepreneurship.

Student Team Profiles

• GeoSwap is a social networking app that lets users tap into the pulse of their city and provides businesses with real engagement with their customers. GeoSwap includes Jason Bamford and Keith Doggett, College of Engineering, class of 2017; and Jordan Gonzalez, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, class of 2017. Gonzalez and Doggett are both in the University Honors Program.

• Influencia is an influencer marketing platform that brings business and influencers together. Influencia was created by Danilo Vicioso, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, class of 2018.

• Revive helps women find a purpose for the clothing they no longer wear through the use of a mobile application. This team includes Rachel Weinberger, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, class of 2017; Emma Lynch, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, class of 2019; Avalon Greene, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, class of 2018; and Palina Ivanova, Alfred Lerner College of Business & Economics, class of 2017.

Hen Hatch and Innovation Showcase

UD students, faculty, staff and community are invited to watch the final round of the competition from 5-9 p.m., Tuesday, April 25, at the World Café Live at the Queen in Wilmington, Delaware. It will feature pitches by the top three teams from each track before an accomplished panel of judges. Early bird tickets -- at $10 for students and $25 for community members – are available until April 8. Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, including beer and wine, will be provided. Advance registration is required. Register online.

About the Horn Program in Entrepreneurship

The Horn Program in Entrepreneurship ignites imaginations and empowers world changers through educational offerings that emphasize experiential learning, evidence-based entrepreneurship and active engagement with entrepreneurs and other members of the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through participation in Horn Program offerings, students gain the knowledge, skills, personal capacities, experiences, connections and access to resources needed to successfully manifest innovation and thrive in the rapidly changing world.