Delaware Business Roundtable

Dolly Parton visited Wilmington Public Library on May 5, 2022. She had been named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the day before, and spent the day in Delaware signing children up for free books. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library started in Wilmington as a small pilot in five school districts in 2020 and went statewide. Every Delaware child from birth to age five can receive a book in the mail each month, up to 60 books before they start kindergarten. She told the crowd that day: "I'm never prouder of anything I've ever accomplished than I am of the Imagination Library." And on what she hoped it would mean: "I want this whole thing, my legacy, to really always say that I started this program and that it was a good program and that it was for the children and to help bring families together." Thank you Dolly! https://lnkd.in/gYkDyr5v

Delaware produces more patents per capita than any state in America. New analysis from Technical.ly's Christopher Wink asks whether that reflects corporate mailing addresses or actual inventors, and the number holds up. Counting only where inventors live, Delaware still ranks 12th nationally, built on DuPont's chemical legacy and a growing pharma cluster. The gap between 12th in invention and what Delaware could be is the work. A patent creates jobs only when it becomes a company, and Wink's analysis lands on exactly that point: Delaware can "worry less about generating ideas and more about commercializing them." Our state's entrepreneurial ecosystem is still smaller than its invention output. Closing that gap is the growth agenda. Delaware has the tools to do it. ✅ Corporate law trusted by two-thirds of the Fortune 500, making forming and financing companies easier here. ✅ Delaware Division of Small Business EDGE grants — up to $100K in state matching funds for STEM startups, are built for exactly this early stage. ✅ Tech transfer at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University. ✅ And incubators built for scale-up, from The Innovation Space to the GrowthStage program at UD's FinTech Innovation Hub. The stakes compound. Research Wink cites from the "Lost Einsteins" study finds children who grow up around inventors are far more likely to become inventors themselves. Every invention commercialized in Delaware shapes who gets to invent here next. Delaware Prosperity Partnership, Neill S. Wright, Darren Stephenson, Delaware BioScience Association, Leading Edge Ventures https://lnkd.in/g2fyv6PW

Founders are moving their startups to Delaware from Iowa, Alabama, Missouri, and Pennsylvania. Technical.ly asked them why. ✅ Access to decision-makers within a few calls. ✅ EDGE grants up to $300K. ✅ A year-old incubator at UD's FinTech Innovation Hub already housing 30 startups. ✅ And a community that led one founder to say, "It felt like home immediately." Big ecosystems offer scale. Delaware offers speed, capital that shows up, and people who know your name. Bronze Valley, Delaware Prosperity Partnership, Pedro Moore, Delaware Division of Small Business, Holly Quinn, Chrystal Graves, Martha Underwood, soner haci, Raj Singh, Lloyd Yates https://lnkd.in/eNhP4Teb

The business environment in New York is eroding. The Delaware Business Roundtable and Chair Brian DiSabatino are doing something about it. We issued an invitation in Crain's New York Business today, a direct offer to every founder, entrepreneur, and C-suite leader doing the math right now. No municipal corporate tax. No sales tax. A AAA bond rating for 26 consecutive years. 90 minutes from Penn Station. Two-thirds of the Fortune 500 already call Delaware home. Delaware is open for business. If you know someone in New York who should read this, please share it.  https://lnkd.in/gh3mzdS9 Partnership for New York City, YPO, Techstars NYC, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator, Tech Council of Delaware, The Innovation Space, Entrepreneurs' Organization, Union Square Ventures

New York knows how to celebrate winners. But celebrating success while making it harder for entrepreneurs, investors, athletes and employers to build is not a growth strategy. In a new article, Delaware Business Roundtable Chairman Brian DiSabatino makes the case for a different approach: earning growth by creating the conditions where talent, investment and jobs can take root. Delaware’s welcome mat is out. Delaware Prosperity Partnership, Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce, Delaware State Chamber of Commerce, Delaware Tourism Office, Delaware Division of Small Business, Tech Council of Delaware, The Innovation Space, Tech:NYC, Entrepreneurs Roundtable Accelerator

A strong talent pipeline is the backbone of Delaware's economic growth. We applaud the University of Delaware College of Engineering on launching its new Corporate Partnership Program! This initiative provides Delaware businesses with a seamless, concierge-level gateway to top-tier student talent, cutting-edge faculty research, and world-class technical facilities. From sponsored capstone projects to long-term R&D, this program bridges the gap between academic innovation and industry needs. As Jenni Buckley, professor and associate dean for corporate engagement, perfectly puts it: “We want to make it easier for industry to access the talent and problem-solving capacity they need, while giving our students the kind of experience that prepares them to contribute from day one.” We encourage Delaware employers to explore how this partnership can accelerate your business goals and shape our state's future workforce. 🔗 Read more about the program: https://lnkd.in/gT2dMv2s

Delaware’s economic future depends on one thing: a stronger job engine. In today’s News Journal, Delaware Business Roundtable Chair Brian DiSabatino lays out a clear, actionable path forward focused on accelerating job creation, supporting entrepreneurs, modernizing permitting, and strengthening the state’s competitive position. The message is direct: sustained growth requires intentional policy choices that expand opportunity, attract investment, and support the businesses that power Delaware’s economy. This is a critical moment for the state. Leadership and action will determine whether Delaware builds on its strengths and drives long-term prosperity. Read the full op-ed: https://lnkd.in/gSKVNTVp

Building Delaware’s Next Economic Chapter 🏗️ Delaware’s reputation as a corporate capital is world-class, but staying competitive in 2026 requires more than a strong legal framework. It requires a relentless focus on an Innovation Economy. The Delaware Business Roundtable is committed to the "Delaware Investment Agenda"—a roadmap designed to ensure our state remains a magnet for high-growth industries and top-tier talent. The "First State" has the agility to out-pace larger neighbors, but only if we align our public and private resources toward a common goal. Read Roundtable Chair Brian DiSabatino's take on our state's strategic imperative: https://lnkd.in/gCKFVz-z 

Delaware’s economic future isn’t automatic, it’s elected. In Delaware State Chamber of Commerce's magazine, DBRT Executive Director Robert W. Perkins shares “Ballots and Bottom Lines” and a challenge for all of us to ask candidates specific, measurable questions, like: • How will you grow jobs and broaden the tax base? • How will you streamline permitting without sacrificing quality? • What’s your plan to build a skilled workforce? • How will Delaware stay competitive with neighboring states? In 2026, let’s make economic growth and opportunity something we can track, not just talk about. https://lnkd.in/g69BrZdg

Decoupling proposed in HB255 would move Delaware in the wrong direction: slower growth, fewer opportunities, and a self-inflicted dent in our competitive reputation. Roundtable chair Brian DiSabatino shares what's at stake for Delaware's working families.