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$10,000+ Pitch Competition + Startup Showcase

SWIM WITH THE SHARKS PITCH COMPETITION

Join us next year to see who wins $10,000 + in cash and prizes for their Delaware startup. 

Sign up for Reminder

2024 Winners

Grand Prize Winner

Ashlee Cooper, Droneversity

Runner-Up Winner

Wanda Guyton, Coffee Rendezbrew

People's Choice Winner

Christopher DiMarco, PhD, Sindri Materials

2024 Finalists

2024 Prize PackageS

Grand Prize

Cash Prize

$10,000

Provided by NCC Innovates initiative of the New Castle County Office of Economic Development.

Virtual Incubator Program

$3,600 Value

One year membership in the Emerging Enterprise Center Virtual Incubator Program that offers office and conference space, mail and phone services, mentorship, networking and business education.


New Castle County Chamber of Commerce (NCCCC) Membership

$350 Value

One year membership that gives your new business networking opportunity, visibility, credibility, training, advocacy, and promotion.

NCCCC Premium Marketing Package

$1,400 Value

Free advertising and marketing opportunities.

Personal Marketing Coaching

$900 Value

Two months of personal marketing coaching by Evans-Mayhew Marketing.

More to come!

Please check back to see more prizes. If you would like to become a prize partner, please email info@eecincubator.com.


Runners Up Award

Cash Prize

$2,500

Prize provided WSFS, Delaware Division of Small Business, and more to come!

New Castle County Chamber of Commerce (NCCCC) Membership

$350 Value

One year membership that gives your business networking opportunities, visibility, credibility, training, advocacy and promotion.


People's Choice Award

Cast Your Vote

$1,000

All eligible applicants have the chance to win $1,000 for their start-up prize provided by SCORE Delaware. 

Want to contribute a prize? Please email info@eecincubator.com or call (302) 737-4343. All contributions and sponsorships are tax-deductible.

Who is eligible?

Swim With the Sharks Pitch Competition is open to for-profit businesses within the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce traditional service areas that has been in business fewer than five (5) years. This area includes New Castle County. Entrants MUST have a valid Delaware business license, headquarters in New Castle County, and available to pitch live on October 1, 2025 in Wilmington, Delaware.

What People Say

INTERESTED IN SPONSORship OR CONTRIBUTING A PRIZE?

Contact Us

Featuring

Keynote by Mac Macleod

CEO and Co-Founder of Carvertise

Master of Ceremonies, Ivan Thomas

Founder and President of DETV 28

#1 Delaware News Station

2024 Final Judges

Margie Crouch

Margie Crouch

Margie Crouch

VP, SBA Relationship Manager, 

WSFS Bank

Jose Lopez

Margie Crouch

Margie Crouch

Family Owned, La Tolteca Mexican Restaurant

Tierra Fair

Margie Crouch

Tierra Fair

Vice President, Engagement & Partnerships, United Way of Delaware

2024 Semi-finalist Judges

Sarah Mailloux Satterfield

Sarah Mailloux Satterfield

Sarah Mailloux Satterfield

 Associate State Director

Delaware Small Business Development Center

C.J. Bell

Sarah Mailloux Satterfield

Sarah Mailloux Satterfield

Director of Economic Development

New Castle County (DE) Government

Deanna M. Merritt, Ph.D.

Sarah Mailloux Satterfield

Deanna M. Merritt, Ph.D.

Marketing & Management

Goldey-Beacom College

Noah Olson

Helen Foster

Deanna M. Merritt, Ph.D.

Director of Innovation

Delaware Prosperity Partnership

Helen Foster

Helen Foster

Helen Foster

Small Business Enterprise Coordinator 

New Castle County

Digital Program

Event Program (pdf)

Download

Impact Report

Download PDF

PAST WINNERS

11th Annual Swim with the Sharks

2023 winners: The Trash Porters won $10,000 Grand Prize, Droneversity won $1,500 Runner-up, and RestoreMD won $1,000 People's Choice Award

10th Annual Swim with the Sharks

2022 Winners: $10,000 Grand Prize 24HR Trucking; $3,500 Runner-up  OmniPotential Energy; $1,000 People's Choice 6NINETY9 Web Design    

9th Annual Swim with the Sharks

2021 Grand Prize Winner - Chess Express Kids founded by Jayvon Fairman-Davis.

8th Annual Swim with the Sharks

2020 Grand Prize Winner TRIC Robotics founded by Adam Stager.

Wilminvest LLC

2019 Grand Prize Winner Green Grazer Goats founded by Kalyn Butt.

Green Grazer Goats

2017 Grand Prize Winner Green Grazer Goats founded by Kalyn Butt.

Vibrating Therapeutic Apparel

2016 Grand Prize Winner Vibrating Therapeutic Apparel (Now TheraV) founded by Amira Idris (Now Amira I. Radovic).

Deer Valley Danes

2015 Grand Prize Winner Deer Valley Danes founded by Karin Roseman.

NumbersBee

2014 Grand Prize Winner NumbersBee founded by Sakthi Vel.   

PenguinAd (Now Carvertise)

2013 Inaugural Grand Prize Winner PenguinAd (Now Carvertie) founded by Mac Macleod.

Presenting Sponsor

Our Partners

Prize Contributors

Venture Sponsor

Media Partners

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Emerging Enterprise Center

920 Justison Street Wilmington, DE 19801 US

Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. | (302) 737-4343

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