Perdue School of Business
Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

Since 1987, Salisbury University has supported aspiring entrepreneurs through business competitions, academic programs, and incubation space. Our competitions include the coveted Bernstein Achievement Award for Excellence – the second continuously-running collegiate business competition in the country – and the biannual Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery Business competition for mid-Atlantic startups, which has distributed nearly $3 million in funding to companies that have generated over 1,000 jobs. In 2021, we opened the Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship (Rommel Center), located in the Salisbury University Downtown Building. The Rommel Center provides 6,000 sq ft of incubation space, including 8 garages, 4 office suites, a makerspace for product prototyping, conference rooms, tier classroom area, full kitchen, and shared coworking spaces. Combined, our programs and services help entrepreneurs build competitive startups and promote economic development on the Eastern Shore.

Bernstein Business Plan Competition

The Bernstein Competition is a college level business plan competition for Salisbury University, UMES and Wor-Wic students that want to launch a business. Students will complete an online application and submit a full business plan, financials and a PowerPoint Presentation for a chance to win up to $15,000. Submissions will be judged by a panel of business and community leaders.
Bernstein Plan Competition
Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship (Rommel Center)

The Rommel Center, located in the Salisbury University Downtown building, offers shared co-working space, “garages”, a “Makerspace”, and hosts successful entrepreneurs from our competitions for 6 months. The goal of the Rommel Center, with the help of our ecosystem partners, is to support, mentor, and launch businesses into the community.

Rommel Center

Dave and Patsy Rommel Center for Entrepreneurship
212 W. Main Street
Suite 205
Salisbury, MD 21802
Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Bryan Bourdeau
Assistant Director
Suite 205
bkbourdeau@salisbury.edu
410-546-4348
First Wave Pitch Competition

The First Wave Pitch Competition is a high school business pitch competition for the Delmarva Peninsula. Students will complete an online application and record a 3-minute pitch video for a chance to win up to $3,000. Students will develop and pitch a business idea that provides a solution to a problem. This could be a personal every-day problem, a business solution, a solution to a local issue, or a solution to a social problem. Submissions will be judged by a panel of business and community leaders. Designed by teachers for teachers, the competition can be incorporated as a curricular or co-curricular activity to meet state requirements for many economics, business, and engineering classes.

First Wave Pitch Competition
Idea Factory Poster Competition

The Idea Factory is a college level poster competition for Salisbury University Students. Students will complete an online application, create a poster and pitch their idea for a chance to win up to $5,000. Submissions will be judged by a panel of business and community leaders. The competition can be incorporated as a curricular or co-curricular activity by faculty for many entrepreneurship, business, marketing, nonprofit, and engineering classes.

Idea Factory Poster Competition
Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation Shore Hatchery

The Shore Hatchery is a bi-annual Mid-Atlantic business competition open to any Mid-Atlantic business startup. You do not need to be an SU student. It is a thirteen-year $2.9 million initiative, which began in 2013. The program assists entrepreneurs in creating new businesses and jobs in the region. Startups apply for a share of $200,000 annually. The goal of the Shore Hatchery is to reward individuals for their entrepreneurial efforts in the creation and growth of businesses with the potential of positively impacting regional employment within three years.

Shore Hatchery