Division of Small Business

EDGE Grant Competition

Encouraging Development,
Growth & Expansion

The Spring Round of EDGE 2.0 is now closed.

April 30 and May 1 – EDGE Pitch Dates – open to the public

May 12 – EDGE Awards Ceremony

EDGE Pitch Competition

Watch our finalists for the EDGE 2.0 Pitch Competition present their ideas live! Entrepreneur class pitches are Thursday April 30 and STEM class pitches are Friday May 1. The in-person only event is FREE to watch – register at this link for your seat for one or both days!

Finalists

There are nine Entrepreneur category finalists and eight STEM category finalists. One hundred twenty-three individuals applied for this round of EDGE, the thirteenth since the program’s launch.

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, 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, Zephyr Materials Inc.

EDGE 2.0 Grant Competition

Entrepreneur track: Up to $400K total available to be split among category winners
STEM track: Up to $750K total available to be split among category winners
Up to 18 potential awardees
Scaled award amounts based on the quality of finalists’ pitch presentation
Finalists and awardees receive post-pitch in-kind services and/or award support

Resources, Webinars, and Application Materials

Frequently Asked Questions

Have Questions? Contact one of the following Regional Business Managers:

Joe Zilcosky: Joe.Zilcosky@delaware.gov – Industries: STEM, Fintech, Life Science, and Bio Science, Location: New Castle County

Anastasia Jackson: Anastasia.Jackson@delaware.gov – Industries: Service-based, Hospitality, Retail, and Restaurant, Location: Kent Count

Gemini Cornish: Gemini.Cornish@delaware.gov – Industries: Professional Services, Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Consulting, Location: Sussex County

Program Overview

EDGE is a competition for grant funding. STEM (Science/technology/engineering/math)-based companies and Entrepreneur Class (non-STEM) businesses are eligible for funding. The funds are provided as a $3 (state) to $1 (business) match.

Who Is Eligible*

People

Qualified applications must:

Be majority located in Delaware
Be in business for less than 7 years
Have 15 or fewer full-time employees
Have less than $700K in assets
Have a 3:1 match

Award Criteria*

Checklist

Applications will be judged by a panel of experts on:

Business need case
Competitive advantage gained
Business viability and likelihood of permanence
Job creation/revenue growth
Quality of your pitch

Eligible Expenses

Book of money

Grant funding must be used to expand a business’s viability and sustainability, specifically:

Market analysis assistance
Advertising assistance
Building infrastructure/cosmetic enhancements
Essential equipment
Web site design
Rent assistance for lab space

*Other conditions and qualifications may apply

All EDGE AWARDEES – Including Project Descriptions

Learn more about the most recent grantees and what they plan to do with the funding.

Dover Office:
99 Kings Highway,
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 739-4271

Wilmington Office:
820 N. French Street,
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 577-8477

business@delaware.gov

The Delaware Division of Small Business, part of the Delaware Department of State, is a service-focused agency committed to supporting businesses starting and growing in Delaware. Small businesses can reach out to the Division for assistance in connecting to the resources and advice to succeed. The Division is a champion for Delaware small businesses and is here to help take companies to the next level.