Jenna Tomasch has been involved with just about all of the programs offered by Horn Entrepreneurship during her time at the University of Delaware, describing Horn as being instrumental in getting her startup off the ground to where it is today.

“I’ve done VentureOn, Summer Founders, Hen Hatch and Pitch Party,” said Tomasch, a senior honors student majoring in fashion design and product innovation. She’s the founder of Maker Wear, one of four Hen Hatch finalists, which produces protective clothing for makers including a pair of one-size-fits-most overalls meant to be worn over top of clothing.

“Horn has been very impactful in getting where I’m at,” she added. “The financial help was great, but also mentorship from professors and different people that were brought in such as alumni or entrepreneurs in the real world. It has given me tremendous resources to utilize.”

“Especially when you’re young, take risks, go for it, and dream big. You’ll learn a ton of lessons,” said Dustin Parker, UD alumnus and co-founder of data management platform Archie.

These sentiments of both a current UD student and alumnus defined the energy at the inaugural Blue Hen Innovation Fest, held in December at the STAR Campus. Hosted by Horn Entrepreneurship, part of UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, the vibrant event showcased the University’s commitment to fostering a culture of entrepreneurship among students, alumni and the broader Delaware community.

The festival unfolded as a day-long celebration, featuring an Innovation Showcase, inspiring panels and the final round of UD’s premier startup funding competition, Hen Hatch. It also included special recognitions like the Blue Hen 17&43 Most Promising Venture Awards, highlighting the transformative work of UD alumni and students across diverse industries, and the WE Hatch Honor Circle, shining a light on innovative women in the community.

A showcase of bold ideas

The Innovation Showcase, a cornerstone of the event, offered attendees a chance to explore creative projects and startups from UD students and alumni. Among the standout exhibitors was Navicyte Biotechnologies LLC, founded by Michael Donzanti, an iEDH Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the College of Engineering. Navicyte is pioneering a first-in-class drug delivery platform designed to improve the precision and effectiveness of cancer treatments, specifically targeting metastatic cancers.

Entrepreneurship major Cade Krueger, founder of Dress Fragile, also made an impression with his sustainable fashion venture. 

“[I am] passionate about being a part of that change in the future and trying to take something I love and make it less harmful,” Krueger said.

The event also introduced the broader community to startups like chemical engineering major Valter Mello Neto’s Reciclai App, which rewards users for recycling, and entrepreneurship major Alec Boyd and computer science major Nathan Wolf’s Vestra Software Solutions, which streamlines academic advising, reflecting the University’s dedication to social impact and technological innovation, among many others.

Empowering women in entrepreneurship

“Women are greatly underrepresented in innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Dan Freeman, founding director of Horn. “They receive something like 2% of venture capital, but they certainly have no shortage of great ideas.” 

The innovation fest featured two women-focused sessions. The first was the panel on women and funding. Moderated by Laura Gasiorowski, associate professor of entrepreneurship, panelists Holly Flanagan of Gabriel Investments, Anne Shehab of Golden Seeds LLC, Jennifer Rowland of CFO Flex Consulting, and Jennifer Seibert of True Impact Partners shared insights on navigating the challenges of funding startups and provided actionable advice for female founders.