Kyle Massey won the 2017 “Entrepreneur of the Year” award at the 2017 Dolphin Tank event for the success of his business idea, Hands On Menus, which provides Braille menus to restaurants. At Dolphin Tank, LaunchSpace Small Business Program graduates are able to present business concepts to decision makers and potential investors. Judges in 2017 included State Sen. Brian Bushweller, State Rep. Timothy Dukes, and Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen. (Kyle’s business plan not only impressed the judges, but it also impressed one restaurant franchisee in the audience who approached Kyle with a business offer on the spot.)
Other successful projects to come out of the LaunchSpace program at the 2017 Dolphin Tank included:
“We Stand 4 Something,” an advocacy organization for people with disabilities lead by motivational speaker Emmanuel Jenkins.
A “Sweet Potato Pie” food distribution business that has led to other work in transportation, lawn maintenance, car trading, and real estate rentals.
“Caldwell’s Helping Hands,” a business that provides non-medical home health services.
“Bible Scents – A Smell of Hope,” which creates potpourri-filled sacks with scripture readings and has started getting orders from outside Delaware. (The business owner plans to partner with Del Castle School to create scripture embroidery as her business grows. With orders now coming in from outside the state of Delaware, she hopes to soon begin selling through Internet retailers like eBay and Etsy.)
