Delaware
Governor Meyer and DSB Announce EDGE 2.0 Winners – State of Delaware News
EDGE Winner Group Photo: EDGE 2.0 Winners – front row (l to r) NFN Brain Connections (2), KiposTech, Jupiter Modern Market. Back Row (l to r) Prismm (2), Lectrolyst, KiposTech, Crystron (3), Director CJ Bell
Newark, Del. – It was an evening of celebration and excitement as Governor Matt Meyer, and the Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) announced the winners of the EDGE 2.0 Grant Competition. EDGE, the Division’s flagship pitch and funding competition, stands for Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion.
Seven awards totaling an enhanced allocation of $1.15M dollars, were presented to Delaware small businesses in a ceremony at the Audion at the University of Delaware’s STAR Campus Wednesday evening. Seventeen companies pitched their projects to an expert panel of judges in late October in two categories: Nine in Entrepreneur and eight in STEM.
The winners for the Entrepreneur category are Insight Ag Scouting (Wyoming), Juniper Modern Market (Milton) and NFN Brain Connections (Dover).
The winners in the STEM category are Crystron Technologies (Wilmington), KiposTech (Newark), Lectrolyst (Wilmington), and Prismm (Newark).
Three of the eight STEM finalists also competed for $1M dollars in federal funding, as part of a special bonus round in this year’s competition. Prismm is the recipient of that award which comes in the form of a direct investment through the Delaware Accelerator and Seed Capital Program (DASCP). DASCP is one of three programs providing funding to small businesses under the federal State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) administered by DSB.
“EDGE 2.0 winners are turning ideas into paychecks and pride across our state, hiring Delawareans, investing in equipment, and keeping opportunity close to home,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “Delaware is a state of neighbors, and we will keep clearing the path for these entrepreneurs with practical support, fast service, and accountability. From shops and farms to labs and kitchens, their success strengthens every community.”
EDGE 2.0 is an expansion of the Division’s program which launched in 2019. EDGE 2.0 still features two established tracks – Entrepreneur and STEM – applies to businesses in operation for less than 7 years and requires a 3:1 funding match and for more than 50% of the company to be located in Delaware.
But there were extensive changes designed to take the program and small businesses to the next level. They included: more funding: $1.15M total available dollars (up from $750K in prior rounds) – $400K available for Entrepreneur (60% increase) and $750K for STEM (50% increase), a new online submission process, no set number of winners, no set amount awarded to each one, eligibility expansion to businesses with 15 or fewer full-time employees, having under $700K in assets, and finalists and awardees receiving additional post-pitch in-kind services and/or award supports. These supports will include memberships to networking organizations and expedited pathways to DSB funding programs and more.
“We wanted to enhance the ability of small businesses to not just get funding, but to receive practical support and tools to help them scale in way that will provide a foundation for longevity,” said DSB Director, CJ Bell. “These companies are the best of the best applicants and I’m excited to see where they go from here.”
Including this round, EDGE has supported 127 small businesses by distributing a total of $9.1 million in grant funds since its inception. This includes 83 businesses in New Castle County, 27 in Kent County, and 17 in Sussex County.
“We are thrilled to help these businesses expand and growThese seven businesses are joining an elite group of entrepreneurs,” said Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez. “Small businesses enhance economic diversity in our state by helping create new industries, jobs and markets. When small businesses thrive, we all thrive.”
EDGE is conducted twice a year. Grants are awarded through an extremely competitive selection process. After thorough internal review, finalists are selected to pitch their proposals to an outside expert panel of judges, who recommend whether to fund them and at what level. In August, 179 businesses applied for funding. Of those, 136 were in the Entrepreneur category and 43 in the STEM category.
Since 2019, more than half (53%) of the 127 awardees have been either woman, minority, or veteran-owned small businesses. Another 14% have been both women and minority owned, and 16% fall into more than one additional categories previously listed.
This was the twelfth round of the program. To learn more about EDGE visit de.gov/edge!
Entrepreneur Awardees:
Insight Ag Scouting (Wyoming) – $75,000
Insight Ag Scouting is a crop and field health monitoring company that uses advanced technology such as drones, sensors, and data analytics to assess crop health, pest infestations, soil conditions, and other key factors. EDGE grant funding will be used to support their growth and expansion plans through the purchase of soil sampling and necessary transportation equipment.
Juniper Modern Market (Milton) – $125,000
Juniper Modern Market is a community-based gourmet grab-and-go cafe, grocery and marketplace planning to open in downtown Milton, January 2025. The company will use EDGE funding to purchase commercial-grade equipment systems including coolers, ovens, grab-and-go hot equipment, a dishwasher, juicer, espresso machine, and extra ovens.
NFN Brain Connections (Dover) – $200,000
NFN Brain Connections works with individuals to restore confidence, focus, and mental balance. Many of those served come to them after experiencing a concussion, brain fog (i.e., Menopause), or early signs of memory loss. EDGE funding will be used to support its office expansion needs, including establishing a larger location in Dover, the purchase of technology infrastructure, the development of an online hub for clients and families, and website upgrades.
STEM Awardees:
Crystron Technologies (Wilmington) – $ 162,500
Crystron produces advanced battery materials and are on the edge of commercializing a breakthrough Cathode Active Material (CAM) for the Lithium-ion batteries. The company reports that its CAM eliminates 65% of current manufacturing steps, reduces energy consumption and emissions by 80%, lowers production cost by 40%, generates no waste, and consumes no water. The company will use its EDGE funding to take its prototype to market by enhancing production capacity, building a larger prototype, and expanding its testing infrastructure.
KiposTech (Newark) – $300,000
KiposTech is a Delaware-based agri-tech startup pioneering next-generation poultry biosecurity. Its flagship innovation, KiposPro, is a patent-pending “plasma bazooka” that uses ionized gas, to continuously eliminate airborne pathogens, dust, and ammonia inside barns 24/7, without filters or chemicals. EDGE funding will be used to take its machine from pilot to production – supporting manufacturing setup, on-farm validation, and safety certification.
Lectrolyst (Wilmington) – $162,500
Lectrolyst uses its innovative “electro-agriculture” technology to convert CO2 waste into valuable chemical products including acetate which then gets fed into precision fermentation for protein products. The company reports that this process enhances solar-to-food efficiency by 4x, reduces land use by 88% and reduces fertilizer use by 60% making it a sustainable alternative for producing fermented proteins, pharmaceutical ingredients, and vertical agriculture. Lectrolyst will use its EDGE grant funds for equipment, materials and testing to optimize its electrochemical stack systems for incorporation into the new containerized systems, and for designing, building and testing a new stack/assembly system.
Prismm (Newark) – $1,000,000 SSBCI/$125,000 EDGE
Prismm is a Delaware-based fintech SaaS company that has built a transaction-enabled digital vault to help banks, credit unions, and wealth managers simplify and automate the inheritance process, so assets transfer seamlessly. The company’s platform automates beneficiary mapping, pre-onboards heirs, and enables compliant transfers upon verification of death. SSBCI and EDGE funds will be used to expand its team, complete technical integration of its platforms, and also for marketing.
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The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) is a service-focused state agency, within the Delaware Department of State, that is committed to helping businesses start and grow in Delaware. Our Regional Business Managers can help you navigate government processes, connect with partner organizations that offer resources to small businesses and identify opportunities to access capital. DSB also oversees the Delaware Tourism Office and Office of Supplier Diversity.
Media Contact
Andrea Wojcik
Division of Small Business
O: (302) 672-6802; C: (302) 554-0060
andrea.wojcik@delaware.gov
When will Delaware’s 2026 midterm elections take place?
Delaware’s midterm elections are coming up. Here’s what voters need to know before heading to the polls.
Delaware candidates and elected officials may soon be able to use campaign funds to protect themselves on and off the campaign trail.
A House bill introduced June 4 would allow funding for security costs for Delaware officials and candidates. Lawmakers said those expenses would be covered through voluntary contributions, not taxpayer dollars.
Nationally, the bill arrives during a fraught period for public officials. In recent years, several lawmakers in other states have been targets of politically motivated violence, resulting in serious injuries, property damage and, in some cases, deaths.
In Delaware, lawmakers didn’t point to any local examples, but said many legislators are on edge. A 2024 research report from the Brennan Center for Justice found that 43% of interviewed state lawmakers experienced threats, as well as 18% of local officials.
Some public officials in that research said they were less likely to hold public events, work on contentious topics or even run for higher office.
The Delaware bill mirrors similar proposals introduced across the country aimed at improving safety. At the federal level, candidates and officeholders — along with their families and staff — are already allowed to receive such protections.
To advance, the bill will need to clear its final committee and the Senate floor before June 30. Otherwise, lawmakers start all over again next session, after the midterms.
‘A responsibility to act’
Campaign expenditures in Delaware are currently limited to mostly advertising, food and refreshments, as well as attendance at political events and travel expenses.
If passed, House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown’s bill would cover several security-related expenses, include:
- Electronic security systems located in a candidate’s home or office
- “Personal security,” a category the Delaware Department of Elections said it would further define if the bill passes.
- Cameras, fences or “other comparable security-related equipment”
These funds can also be used to help protect their families in certain circumstances, Minor-Brown told Delaware Online/The News Journal.
They cannot be used to pay for firearms, however.
House Minority Whip Jeff Spiegelman raised a concern about this during the bill’s June 11 hearing in his chamber, calling guns another matter of defense.
Fellow sponsor House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris said the choice was not to include firearms in the bill, saying this could lead to discomfort for many, and potentially do more harm than good.
Minor-Brown also said candidates covered in this bill must have filed for office and currently be campaigning. Additionally, the New Castle Democrat said money must come from voluntary contributors.
No officeholder or candidate is required to abide by this measure, Harris told lawmakers, as the use of funds will remain “entirely optional.”
The bill comes as lawmakers nationwide have faced rising intimidation and violence in recent years.
This includes former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, who, alongside her husband Mark, were shot and killed in what officials described as “a politically motivated assassination” last year, as reported by USA TODAY.
In Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro’s home was the target of an arson attack last April.
And just a few weeks before, New Mexico Republican Party headquarters in Albuquerque was vandalized, almost a year after it was damaged in an arson attack.
Minor-Brown also pointed toward the 2022 attack on former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the assassination of conservative politico Charlie Kirk last year, as well as the attempts on the life of President Donald Trump.
“This is not about politics. It’s not about partisanship,” Harris said ahead of the floor vote. “It’s about safety.”
Minor-Brown said lawmakers should not have to choose between their safety and performing their elected responsibilities. As such, lawmakers have “a responsibility to act” now, she said.
Several other states – including New Jersey and Maryland – have proposed similar legislation, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Other states have also enacted laws on the safety of candidate families and staff, cybersecurity and using campaign funds to pay for home security systems. Minor-Brown told Delaware Online/The News Journal she expects to see measures regarding cybersecurity in Delaware.
This bill passed the House on June 11. It is now scheduled to be heard in Senate committee on June 25.
Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com.
Delaware
Comcast Xfinity cable down: TV streaming outage hits New Hampshire, Texas, Delaware, Wyoming and Maine
Comcast’s Xfinity cable service is down for thousands of people in the United States on Monday afternoon.
More than 12,000 users are reporting the outage with the cable service run by NBC’s parent company, according to Down Detector, a platform that tracks such outages based on users’ reports.
Much of the outages seemed to be concentrated in New Hampshire, Texas, Delaware, Wyoming and Maine, according to the outage map shown on Down Detector.
According to Down Detector, 77% of the customers reported issues with the cable TV services, 12% with the broadband internet and 8% with TV streaming.
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Comcast Xfinity Outage Map
The map of Comcast’s Xfinity outage showed that urban centers across the country were affected. It included cities in the east and west cost, north and southern states and well as parts of central US.
The map showed outage reports concentrated in Boston, New York City, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Miami and large parts of Florida.
In the north, Minneapolis and Chicago reported the most outages. While in the South, Houston was affected. Customers from Denver also reported a significant number of outages.
In the east coast, most outages were reported up north. Portland Salem and Seattle reported a large number of outages. Additionally, the areas around San Francisco and Carson City reported outages.
Here’s the map of the Comcast outage per Down Detector, as of 4:28pm ET.
Comcast’s Response
As of now, Comcast or Xfinity has not acknowledged that the issue is widespread. The X account of Xfinity support is replying to queries on social media, asking customers to message them their service ID.
Also read: Alaska coast guard helicopter crash: MH-60 Jayhawk goes down in Sitka, search and rescue crews responding
For instance, one such post on X read: “Hello! Thank you for contacting the Xfinity support team. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience due to the service interruption. Please DM us with your first and last name and your complete service address, so we can assist you further.”
Thus, those seeking a solution to the problem may send their service details and the disruption that is happening to Xfinity.
Comcast’s Xfinity is one of the largest cable and broadband services in the US. It serves around 11.27 million traditional cable TV customers in the Unites States. Its broadband user base is approximately 31.25 million strong.
This is a developing story.
How to stay safe while hiking
Here are some tips to protect yourself when you venture out on the trails.
Looking for a nice stroll this summer?
These six trails have been recognized as some of the best in Delaware.
New Castle County trails
Michael N. Castle Trail at the C&D Canal
- Length: 8.7 miles
- Surface: Paved
Named for former U.S. Rep. and Gov. Mike Castle, the trail follows the C&D Canal’s north shore. It can be walked, biked and even traversed by horseback. It had four trailheads: Delaware City, St. Georges, Biddle Point and Summit Bridge.
Mill Creek Greenway Trail
- Length: 3.8 miles
- Surface: Paved
The trail, popular with dog walkers, winds through the woods of Pike Creek. Its eastern trailhead starts across from the Delcastle Driving range on Mill Creek Road and continues to the western trailhead near the tennis courts of the North Pointe neighborhood.
Kent County Trails
Pondside trail at Killens Pond
- Length: 2.6 miles
- Surface: Packed earth
The Pondside trail is an easy-to-moderate hike that has numerous side connector trails that can get you views of Killens Pond. The trail can be accessed via the main parking lot, the Nature Center parking lot or the overflow lot on the south side of the campground.
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
- Length: 12 miles driving; various length walking trails
- Surface: Mixed
The Wildlift Drive at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge can be driven, biked or walked, though there are also five walking trails along the wildlife drive. The shortest are a quarter-mile and lead to towers, while the longest is 2.7 miles. The car entrance is on Whitehall Neck Road, with walking trails accessible from various spots within the refuge.
Sussex County Trails
Gordons Pond Trail
- Length: 5.2 miles
- Surface: Mixed
The trail connects Lewes and Rehoboth and passes the western side of Gordons Pond, a 900-acre saltwater lagoon. Northern access begins at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes at the Herring Point parking area. The southern end of the trail begins at the Gordon Pond parking area in Rehoboth Beach.
Prickly Pear Trail Delaware Seashore State Park Fresh Pond
- Length: 3.5 miles
- Surface: Mixed
The Prickly Pear Trail is great for exploring Fresh Pond and taking in scenic views of the Indian River Bay. The trail can be traversed by foot, bike and seasonally, by horseback. Connector trails at the north and south ends of Fresh Pond provide access to the southbound Route 1 bike and pedestrian lane.
Got a story tip or idea? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com.
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