DELAWARE -The Delaware Division of Small Business has announced the finalists and schedule for the EDGE 2.0 Grant Pitch Competition, set for April 30 and May 1 at Delaware Technical Community College’s Del-One Conference Center.
The competition will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at 700 Technology Drive in Dover. The public is invited to attend in person at no cost, but registration is required to reserve a seat.
A total of 17 finalists were selected from 123 applicants in the program’s 13th round. The finalists include nine in the Entrepreneur category and eight in the STEM category.
The Entrepreneur finalists are 3 E’s Equestrian Education Program, Expanding Ideas Inc., Fin Outdoor Recreation LLC, Huxley & Hiro, Little Town LLC, Mother Nurture Composting Services, SOMA Skin & Sculpt, Solid Earth Studio LLC and Rooted Properties Group.
The STEM finalists are Able Sciences, Bison Venture Partners/NGARI, Dunya Analytics, Gida Health LLC, Housecall VR Inc., NeuroSync, Trial IQ Technologies and Zephyr Materials Inc.
“EDGE 2.0 is about opening doors for Delaware entrepreneurs and giving them a platform to take strong ideas and bring them to life,” said DSB Deputy Director Jaimie Watts. “This group of finalists reflects the creativity, determination, and innovation we see across our small business community, and we’re excited to watch them take the next step in their journey.”
Finalists were selected after multiple rounds of internal review by the Division of Small Business Business Finance Unit staff and leadership. Winners will be determined by an independent panel of judges. Entrepreneur category pitches will take place April 30, followed by STEM presentations on May 1.
EDGE 2.0 is an updated version of the program first launched in 2019. This round offers a total of $1.15 million in funding. There is no set number of winners or fixed award amounts. Funding will be based on the strength of each pitch and proposal rather than the amount requested.
Entrepreneur category participants will compete for a share of $400,000, while STEM-based companies will compete for $750,000. Funds may be used for expenses such as equipment, marketing, infrastructure improvements and technology upgrades.
In addition to potential funding, all finalists and award recipients will receive post-pitch support, including memberships to networking organizations and access to additional Division of Small Business programs.
