University of Delaware

What University of Delaware does

The University of Delaware is a public state research university chartered by the Delaware General Assembly and headquartered in Newark, Delaware. Founded in 1743 as the Delaware College, it is the largest university in the state, serving approximately 24,000 students across eight colleges spanning engineering, business, sciences, agriculture, health sciences, education, earth/ocean/environment, and arts. UD serves traditional undergraduate and graduate students, non-traditional learners through UD Online (240+ credit courses and 26 degree/certificate programs), corporate partners through a tiered College of Engineering Corporate Partnership Program, and federal/state research sponsors through major centers including the STAR Campus innovation hub, the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research (DECCAR), NIIMBL biopharmaceutical manufacturing initiatives, and specialized facilities such as the Lewes campus, the Transportation Technology Center in Colorado Springs, and the custom-built ROV OTIS for ocean research.

UD's core technology portfolio spans pioneering Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) research demonstrating EV grid revenue of up to $3,359/year for passenger vehicles and over $9,000/year for fleets, bundlemers protein self-assembly technology for advanced materials, magnon-based computing for ultrafast low-power chips, high-efficiency iridium catalysts reducing iridium use by 90% for green hydrogen, AI predictive models for post-concussion injury risk (95% accuracy) and solar wind forecasting, biomanufacturing technologies for on-demand therapeutic production, and an AI Healthcare Living Lab with ChristianaCare including nursing robotics and autonomous wheelchairs.

The business model operates through five primary revenue streams: tuition and fees across undergraduate, graduate, and online programs; federal and state research grants and contracts (DOE, NIH, NSF, NASA, CEC, Delaware Community Foundation, Gates Foundation via NIIMBL); tiered Corporate Partnership Program memberships providing industry access to talent and facilities; auxiliary services including housing, dining, athletics, parking, and conference services; and gifts and endowments from alumni, corporations, and foundations. Distribution channels include on-campus academic programs, UD Online self-serve delivery, corporate partnership direct sales, NIIMBL industry collaboration, and Professional and Continuing Studies. Marketing is executed through UDaily news, 80+ official social media accounts, email, campus events, earned media relations, and corporate partnership showcases, reflecting a hybrid B2C/B2B/B2G go-to-market structure.

Name

University of Delaware

Legal name

University of Delaware

Website

https://udel.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1743

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The University of Delaware is a public research university founded in 1743 in Newark, Delaware, serving approximately 24,000 undergraduate, graduate, and online students across eight colleges. It operates through tuition, federal and state research grants, corporate partnerships, and auxiliary services, with notable expertise in V2G technology, biopharmaceutical manufacturing, and AI-driven healthcare research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Universities with Strong Industry Partnerships (EDAHAEAG), Technical Universities with Computing, Data & AI Focus (EDAHAEAK)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Research university programs
• Online degree programs
• Corporate training partnerships
• Graduate education

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including full-time, part-time, and online programs. Graduate tuition varies by program; professional and continuing studies programs offer additional revenue streams.
2. Research Grants and Contracts: Federal and state research funding from agencies including DOE, NIH, NSF, and private foundations. Major grants include $14.5M federal rail training grant, $13M Delaware Community Foundation grant for Alzheimer's research, and Gates Foundation funding through NIIMBL.
3. Corporate Partnership Program: Tiered annual memberships from the College of Engineering Corporate Partnership Program providing companies access to talent pipelines, sponsored capstone projects, and research collaborations.
4. Auxiliary Services: Housing and dining services, athletics programs, parking, bookstore operations, and conference services generating revenue from students and external visitors.
5. Gifts and Endowments: Donations from alumni, corporations, and foundations supporting scholarships, endowed chairs, facilities, and programmatic initiatives.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The University of Delaware delivers higher education and research services through eight colleges offering undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate degree programs both on-campus and online. It operates specialized research centers including DECCAR (cognitive aging), NIIMBL (biopharmaceutical manufacturing), and conducts applied research in V2G technology, ocean robotics, AI healthcare, and advanced materials. The institution supplements academic offerings with a Corporate Partnership Program providing tiered industry engagement, and generates revenue through auxiliary services including housing, dining, athletics, and conference operations.

Product overview

The University of Delaware is an educational and research institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs across multiple colleges. Beyond traditional academics, UD operates various research initiatives and programs including the Corporate Partnership Program for industry collaboration, the ART Symposium for research translation, and specialized research centers focused on cognitive aging, biopharmaceutical manufacturing (NIIMBL), and green hydrogen technology. The university has active V2G (vehicle-to-grid) research programs demonstrating EV-grid integration profitability, AI healthcare initiatives including nursing robotics and insulin dosing research, and materials science research including self-assembling protein technology (bundlemers) and magnon computing. UD's College of Agriculture offers a sports performance analytics major, while various colleges maintain industry partnership and startup commercialization programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UD Connect: University of Delaware's official mobile application for students, faculty, and staff
• STAR Campus
• Horn Entrepreneurship

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• V2G-enabled passenger EVs can earn up to $3,359 per year; heavier fleet vehicles over $9,000 per year by storing and supplying energy to the electric grid during peak demand.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Norwalt Automation GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Corporate Partnership Program member mentoring student capstone projects in engineering, providing real-world industry experience and talent pipeline connection.
• Integer TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Developing ocean robotics collaboration with UD's School of Marine Science and Policy, planning to establish an office at UD's Lewes campus in 2027 to advance marine research capabilities.
• Johns Hopkins UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2026Multi-year research collaboration on indoor air quality at the Baltimore Museum of Art, studying volatile organic compounds released during exhibit construction. Partnership also includes Winterthur Museum to monitor how pollutants affect art preservation and establish baseline air quality data.
• India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF)coreTechnology or Integration · 19 May 2026Technical support partnership for South Asia's first V2G technology demonstration in India, providing expertise for bidirectional EV charging technology supporting distributed renewable energy integration.
• NIIMBL (National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026UD is a key partner in NIIMBL's $9.7M initiative involving 39 organizations for advanced biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies and workforce development to maintain U.S. leadership in biopharma.
• Delmarva Power (Exelon Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2026Collaborative V2G technology pilot program completed at Delmarva Power offices, demonstrating profitability and scalability of vehicle-to-grid technology. Findings show V2G-enabled EVs can earn significant revenue while maintaining battery health.
• ChristianaCarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 April 2026Partnership for nation's first nursing robotics fellowship and collaborative AI-enabled healthcare research positioning Delaware as a living lab for healthcare innovation.
• Christine Dennison and Tim TaylorminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025Renowned ocean explorers donated custom-built ROV called OTIS to UD's School of Marine Science and Policy, advancing marine research and student training capabilities.
• Plug PowerminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025US startup collaboration with Dutch firm VSParticle and UD developing high-efficiency iridium catalyst reducing iridium use by 90% for green hydrogen production, targeting $1.00/kg production cost.
• it's electriccoreTechnology or Integration · 16 September 2025California Energy Commission awarded $1.1M grant for world's first curbside V2G EV charger development. UD provides technical support alongside UC Berkeley, targeting commercialization by 2028 with focus on low-income and disadvantaged communities.
• UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025Partner in V2G curbside charger development project alongside it's electric and California Energy Commission, providing research expertise for bidirectional charging technology.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Virginia Tech: Public technical university with strong industry partnership programs, V2G/energy research, and technology transfer emphasis. Highly comparable to UD's STAR Campus model and College of Engineering Corporate Partnership Program.
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC): Mid-size public R1 with strong research, technology transfer, and industry partnership programs in cybersecurity, life sciences, and engineering. Closely comparable scale and applied research focus to UD.
• University of Maryland, College Park: Flagship public R1 in the Mid-Atlantic with major engineering, energy, and quantum/computing research programs. Directly comparable in mission and competitive positioning against UD for federal research funding.
• Penn State University: Large public R1 research university with strong engineering, materials science, and energy research programs. Directly comparable to UD in mission, scale of research, and state-university funding model, with overlapping V2G and sustainability initiatives.
• Drexel University: Private R1 with a renowned cooperative education (co-op) model that deeply integrates industry partners into curriculum. Directly comparable to UD's Corporate Partnership Program and applied research positioning.
• Rutgers University: Public R1 research university in the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast with comprehensive graduate programs, biomedical research, and pharmaceutical industry partnerships. Closely comparable geography and structure to UD.
• NC State University: Public R1 with extensive industry collaboration, engineering research strength, and biomanufacturing initiatives (BTEC). Comparable peer for UD's NIIMBL participation and corporate partnership program.
• University of Connecticut: Northeast public R1 with strong STEM, health sciences, and engineering programs. Comparable to UD in scale, geography, and state-university research model.

Broad incumbents

• Johns Hopkins University: Larger private R1 with global research leadership and an active UD partner (joint air quality study at Baltimore Museum of Art). Functions as both a research benchmark and a strategic collaborator rather than direct competitor for in-state students.

Regional players

• Tufts University: Private R1 in the Northeast that UD benchmarks operationally (e.g., the new VP of Facilities was recruited from Tufts after leading a similar carbon-neutrality infrastructure plan). Comparable in research breadth and facilities scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UDelaware
• YouTubeyoutube.com/univdelaware
• Facebookfacebook.com/140008733585
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-delaware-18070
• Instagraminstagram.com/udelaware
• Pinterestpinterest.com/udelaware

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds8 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Delaware