Six startups will pitch technology-driven products to a panel of judges at Delaware Valley University's seventh annual Spark Bowl on Thursday, Nov. 19.

The competition, co-hosted by DelVal's Small Business & Entrepreneurship Center, the Bucks County Chamber of Commerce and Startup Bucks, gives entrepreneurs a live stage to sell their ideas and win prize money. At the 2022 Spark Bowl, organizers awarded $21,000 to three winning businesses and $6,000 to student consulting teams.

Prize amounts for 2026 have not been announced.

This year's contestants represent companies in healthcare, personal hygiene, marketing and pharmaceutical sectors, according to DelVal's Spark Bowl page. They include Horus Health, which built an AI tool for hospital billing compliance, and Mojoz GummiCone, an edible candy cone for frozen treats founded by Joseph Osborne.

Bottimals, a patent-pending plush bottle-lovey created by Julianne Gardner, helps babies transition from breastfeeding. BH Botanicals is a beef-tallow skincare line started by current DelVal student Brandon Haniff. Level Up Logistics, an Amazon delivery partner and CDL training academy, and Vivaldi, an AI tool that checks building designs against construction codes, round out the field.

Each business gets five minutes to pitch and 10 minutes to field questions from judges, based on the format used in prior years. DelVal students work alongside the competitors beforehand, conducting market research, refining business plans and polishing presentations.

Dr. Jeffrey Wehrung, an assistant professor at DelVal, said the arrangement benefits both sides. "The Spark Bowl gives DelVal students a unique opportunity to work directly with real businesses in our community, helping entrepreneurs better communicate their value proposition to customers and potential investors," Wehrung told BUCKSCO.Today in a Friday, Oct. 2 article.

The night before the Spark Bowl, Startup Bucks is hosting a networking event called "The Bucks Starts Here" on Wednesday, Nov. 18 at the Pennsylvania Biotech Center, 3805 Old Easton Road in Doylestown.

Sponsorship tiers for the Spark Bowl range from $500 to $10,000. Businesses interested in sponsoring can email [email protected] or call (215) 489-4865.