On Friday morning, downtown Wilmington became the center of a major conversation about technology, economic development, and community investment as Senator Darius Brown hosted the Opportunity LIVES Here summit at The Queen.
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More than 400 developers, investors, entrepreneurs, and community members gathered at 500 North Market Street for what became one of Delaware’s largest recent business and technology-focused events. Built around the idea that “prosperity is something everyone can realize,” the summit focused on expanding economic opportunity and ensuring Delaware communities are included in conversations surrounding innovation and growth.
New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry joined Senator Brown to open the event, helping set the tone for a morning centered on collaboration, investment, and forward-looking development in Delaware.
Funded Delaware Founders Share Their Stories
One of the featured moments of the summit came during a panel highlighting entrepreneurs who have launched and grown businesses in Delaware through the Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator’s Delaware program, which received support from Senator Brown.
The panel featured:
- Martha Underwood, Founder & CEO of Prismm
- Laura Randa, CEO of Toivoa
- Emmanuel Ashirifi, CEO of Sika Box
- Jordan Bradley, CEO of Highnote
Moderated by Darren Stephenson, Managing Director of Bronze Valley Investment Accelerator Delaware, the discussion, titled “From Incubation to Impact,” focused on the realities of building businesses, securing funding, and scaling operations in Delaware.
Senator Brown and NVIDIA Discuss AI and Economic Opportunity
The summit concluded with a fireside chat between Senator Brown and Louis Stewart of NVIDIA.
Their conversation focused on how artificial intelligence is reshaping workforce development, business growth, and economic opportunity. The discussion emphasized the importance of ensuring communities historically underrepresented in technology are included in the next phase of economic expansion tied to AI.
The conversation reinforced a major theme of the summit: that emerging technology opportunities should be accessible to Delaware communities and businesses, not limited to traditional tech hubs.
Focus on the Three Rivers Corridor
Opportunity LIVES Here was launched through a partnership between Senator Brown, the Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware, and the Delaware River and Bay Authority.
The initiative centers around the Three Rivers area, where the Brandywine, Christina, and Delaware rivers meet, with a long-term vision of expanding economic, cultural, and community development throughout the corridor.
Friday’s summit included discussions on economic growth along Route 13, development surrounding New Castle Airport, banking and FinTech opportunities, and the continued expansion of the Port of Wilmington.
Tony Allen, President of Delaware State University, joined business and civic leaders during one of the featured panels. Dr. Allen discussed the university’s partnership with Agilent Technologies and the role higher education institutions can play in workforce and industry development.
Technology and Community Impact
The summit also highlighted technology applications designed to directly impact communities.
Paul Breitenbach of r4 Technologies discussed technology initiatives aimed at addressing food deserts and improving produce access in underserved areas.
Von Homer of Hx Innovations spoke about AI-driven recovery technology designed to assist injured athletes, while Luke Wilson of Allium discussed blockchain data infrastructure and its use in generating insights for government and community organizations.
Opportunity LIVES Here positioned itself as more than a one-day summit. Throughout the morning, speakers and attendees focused on how Delaware can continue building opportunities in technology, investment, education, and economic development while keeping local communities involved in that growth.
