It’s back-to-school season — the weather’s getting cooler as we say goodbye to summer.
This month, we’re looking at change: in careers, in spaces and in the state of Delaware, including advice on following your moral compass at work, a coworking space upgrade and the reality of upcoming infrastructure projects to support our evolving technology needs.
Also in this month’s Delaware Moves, US Rep. Sarah McBride passes a bill, Jet Phynx makes a deal with Del State, an agtech company with Delaware roots secures millions in funding, and more, after a look at the most popular tech job skills listed in Delaware job listings.
Delaware leaders: It’s OK to leave
The annual Millsummit leadership conference — officially rebranded as the Spur Impact Leadership Summit halfway through the event — took place on Aug. 5 at 1313 N. Market St. in Wilmington. The event brought together professionals from different sectors, including tech, to discuss topics ranging from networking to knowing your rights in the workplace to AI.
Its morning keynote, “Spur the Next Phase: Navigating Career Opportunities Across Industries,” brought together Delaware leaders from public service, nonprofit, technology and real estate. Four panelists shared their journeys of career transition and community impact, with a diverse group of local leaders sharing their advice.
One major attribute of a strong leader? Knowing when to walk away when your moral compass is telling you something is off, panelists said.
“There comes a point in your life where you have to ask yourself what you truly believe, because you may have been wired to think success looks a certain way,” said Theresa Young, who currently works in a leadership position at the American Red Cross. “Take a moment to challenge those beliefs, and you may find the path you’re meant to follow is different than you expected.”
Career paths are rarely linear, said Nicole Denson, a managing director at JPMorgan Chase.
“Life is a journey,” she said, not a strategic plan.
You can find a live recap and photos in our Delaware Slack channel, where we report on events we attend, giving readers a real-time behind-the-scenes look at our coverage. (Not yet a member? Request an invite here.)
The Mill gets a makeover
In preparation for its 10th anniversary in April 2026, the Mill’s original location is getting an upgrade.
When it opened in 2016, the coworking space, founded and designed by Robert Herrera, helped to usher in an era of modern work and micro-offices to a city known for its sprawling banking and biotech campuses.
While the Mill was not Delaware’s first 2010s-style coworking space — that would be the old CoIN Loft — it has been the most enduring and expansive, with three locations: The original location at the Nemours Building (renamed Market West in 2023), the Mill Concord in North Wilmington and The Mill Seaford, a massive renovation of the Nylon Capital Shopping Center in Sussex County that is slated to open later this year.
Last year, after weathering the pandemic, the Market West location opened its third-floor expansion, with more offices, amenities, coworking space and an open-air terrace.
While the third floor remains open for work and events, the fourth floor is currently closed for renovations through the fall.
“We’re looking forward to unveiling a brighter, better fourth floor in the coming months,” said the Mill in an update, “refreshed and redesigned to spark productivity, creativity and community connection.”
Data center mania
Since a massive data center known as “Project Washington” has been proposed near the Delaware City Refinery, there has been more than a little controversy and confusion, with a mix of optimism and pessimism over the project.
Did you know that there are currently 18 existing or proposed data centers in Delaware? All far smaller than the proposed 6 million-square-foot Del City project, but the fact is, data centers are needed to fuel our technology, including rapidly rising AI usage, and are here to stay.
Do you have opinions on Project Washington or data center projects in Delaware in general? We’re looking for local ecosystem voices, whether experts or simply residents with thoughts. If you’d like to comment, email us at delaware@technical.ly.
More Moves:
- US Congressional Rep. Sarah McBride recently passed her first bill in the US House. The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act is a bipartisan initiative, aims to change the definition of an “accredited investor” to allow more individuals to qualify for private investment opportunities.
- Jet Phynx, founder of Jet Phynx Films, has been named Creative Director for Delaware State Football Media and exclusive creative partner for Coach DeSean Jackson.
- Governor Matt Meyer recently announced that the state is currently accepting applications for the Delaware Nuclear Energy Feasibility Task Force, which will focus on small modular reactors as a possible energy source in the state. The deadline to apply is Aug. 31.
- Delaware-founded TRIC Robotics has come a long way from Swim with the Sharks. The agtech robotics company, now located in California, recently secured $5.5 million in seed funding.
- ICE enforcement is upending lives in rural Delaware communities.
