Startups

21 teams selected to pitch business plans in UD Hen Hatch semifinals

Winning teams will be named April 28. A $50,000 prize pool in startup cash and services is up for grabs.

Chris Melillo and Krista Adams explain their company, Board to Death, which builds and designs customized snowboards. The concept was one of Hen Hatch's 2014 finalists. (Photo courtesy of University of Delaware)

The semifinalists have been announced in Hen Hatch, the University of Delaware’s business startup funding competition. The event is hosted by the Horn Program in Entrepreneurship.
Student teams will pitch their ideas on March 13; alumni, faculty and staff will pitch their ideas on March 20.
Judges will select the top three teams from each track, who will then pitch in the final round on April 28. A $50,000 prize pool will be awarded to the winners.
This year, 68 teams submitted business ideas. The expert panel selected 21 teams to advance to the semifinal round based on growth potential and feasibility.

Student semifinalists: 

Multappi (Jonah Offitzer)

  • A website that simplifies the job searching and application process.

The new black (Eryn Johnson and Maria DeMott)

  • The new black mixes fashionable shoes and a personalized philosophy.

Thermostasis Technologies (Anthony Rossi and Steven Davis)

  • Technology that lowers the cost of air conditioning significantly.

JoeBiotics (Mike Meck, Austin Bragg and Adam Newirth)

  • A liquid probiotic that can withstand high temperatures and be used in coffee or tea.

ResumeJet (Russ Soneclar, Ross Lefkowitz and Elad Schor)

  • A web service for users to quickly build effective resumes.

ProjectedU (Benjamin Rapkin and Austin Crouse)

  • Using in-classroom projection systems in between classes to provide and engage students with messages they care about.

Afriquatec Farms (Joan Gisiora)

  • Producing tilapia, fresh produce, herbs and fruit through aquaponics farming in Kenya.

East Coast Float Spa (Matthew Kroll)

  • Client-friendly and technology-centered Floatation Therapy rooms.

GoHappy (Elpiniki Apostolaki-Iosifidou)

  • An app that gives users real-time notifications of offers and deals nearby.

Break-Fast (Zachary Granat and Tyler Psenicska)

  • A breakfast delivery service for students.

Alumni, faculty and staff semifinalists:

GoShare (Alumnus Shaun Savage)

  • An app that connects users with trucks or vans with people who need help moving or hauling goods.

DirectSelling.me (Alumna Laurie Girardi)

  • Provides a personal marketing platform for independent consultants and companies.

Sonijector Fuel Cell Systems, LLC (Mechanical engineering faculty members Ajay Prasad and Suresh Advani, staff member Adam Kinzey, and alumnus Doug Brunner)

  • A device that recirculates hydrogen differently that current pumps, which are expensive and corrosion-prone.

Fidelity Masters (Nursing faculty members Amy Cowperthwait and Heiddy DiGregori, and alumni Amy Bucha and Robert Tilly)

  • Low-cost health care products that focus on improving patient safety and advocate for shared decision making among patients, families and health care teams.

Moxie Box (Alumna Alexandra McKay)

  • A subscription service that delivers clothing, accessories and jewelry to you each month.

Ghost Crab Games (Alumnus Chris Hoopes)

  • Multiplayer video games which draw users in with high-resolution artwork.

PROBEE Safety, LLC (Alumnus and staff Matheu Cater, and alumni Robert McGurk and Anthony Marioni)

  • A management tool which alerts firefighters and commanders to immediate, life-threatening situations.

Complete Repair (Alumni Nicholas Cantagallo and Nicholas Stampone)

  • An app for consumers and service providers to share project details, place bids, schedule service and make payments.

Art Preservation Index (Alumna Emily MacDonald-Koth)

  • A way to quantify fine art, which benefits interested and invested stakeholders.

PlainSight Intel, LLC (Marketing faculty member Michal Herzenstein)

  • An online platform that tracks and aggregates business intelligence.

Lighthouse (Alumnus Elliot Pires)

  • A visual platform that helps users plan their careers.
Full disclosure: The University of Delaware Horn Program in Entrepreneurship is a founding sponsor of Technical.ly Delaware.
Companies: University of Delaware

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