$10K is up for grabs for young Delaware startups

You don’t have to be a student or even a young up-and-comer to participate in the NCC Innovates/Emerging Enterprise Center’s annual Swim with Sharks competition — all you need is a young for-profit business (under five years), a business license (this is non-negotiable) and residence in Delaware.

Last year’s winner, Sumedh Surwade, founder of SAS Nanotechnologies, developed a proprietary, patent-pending anticorrosive coating technology. SAS Nanotechnologies outpitched 2018’s other two finalists, D150 Fueling (2018 Hen Hatch winner) and edtech platform SmartKidzClub.

To apply, download the application form and return it, along with your business outline, by Sept. 12. All eligible applicants will have an opportunity to give a five-minute pitch in front of a panel of judges, who will select three finalists. Finalists will present at the Annual EEC Luncheon on Nov. 1, with a winner selected by audience and judge voting.

In addition to the $10,000 in cash, the winner also receives a six-month membership to the EEC Virtual Incubator program and other New Castle Country Chamber resources.