Delaware Small Businesses Secure $1.15M in EDGE 2.0 State Grants

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The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) has awarded $1.15 million in grants to nine small businesses through the Spring 2026 EDGE 2.0 Grant Competition, marking the latest round of funding aimed at fostering innovation and job creation in the state.

The awards were announced Tuesday evening at Delaware Technical Community College’s Owen Campus in Georgetown, with Governor Matt Meyer emphasizing the program’s role in supporting Delaware’s economy.

Winners and Funding Breakdown

The grants were split between two categories:

• Entrepreneur Category (up to $400,000 per winner):

  • 3E’s Equestrian Education Program (Laurel)
  • Huxley & Hiro (Wilmington)
  • Little Town (Milford)
  • Rooted Properties (Lewes)
  • SOMA Skin & Sculpt (Middletown)

• STEM Category (part of a $750,000 pool):

  • Dunya Analytics (Wilmington)
  • HouseCall VR (Wilmington)
  • NeuroSync (Wilmington)
  • Trial IQ Technologies (Wilmington)

Governor Meyer’s Statement

Governor Meyer highlighted the importance of small businesses in driving Delaware’s innovation economy, stating:

“Delaware must be the best place to grow a business, and EDGE is critical to turn new ideas into opportunities, create jobs, and keep Delaware’s economy moving forward. Our innovation economy depends on the strength, creativity, and resilience of our small businesses, and the support EDGE delivers provides Delaware small businesses with an advantage to grow and compete.”

Program Impact and Diversity

Since its inception, the EDGE program has supported 136 small businesses, distributing a total of $10.3 million in grants. Of these awardees:

• 90 businesses are in New Castle County
• 28 businesses are in Kent County
• 19 businesses are in Sussex County

59% of the awardees have been woman-, minority-, or veteran-owned businesses, reflecting the program’s commitment to inclusive economic growth.

Competition Process

The Spring 2026 competition featured 17 finalists who pitched their projects to an expert panel of judges in early May. The winners were selected based on innovation, job creation potential, and economic impact.

The EDGE 2.0 Grant Competition continues to be a cornerstone of Delaware’s efforts to strengthen its small business ecosystem, with future rounds expected to further expand opportunities for entrepreneurs and STEM-driven ventures.

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