One Village Alliance reclaims Wilmington block with new hub for tech, media and community

Technical.ly

2 days ago

Moves is a recurring series where we chart big and notable changes for people and companies in Delaware. Got a tip? Email us at [e-mail].
The quest for justice and equity in Delaware continues, with no signs of stopping.
One Village Alliance, which celebrates 15 years this week, unveiled a major expansion that will serve youth in Wilmington's Brandywine Village neighborhood and beyond, bringing state-of-the-art resources to boost socially disadvantaged families. Tech, of course, is a big part of the expansion.
Also in this month's Delaware Moves, new AI graduate business courses at the University of Delaware, a program to help underrepresented business owners get government contracts, a proposed data center and more, after a look at the most popular tech jobs in Delaware, according to the Technical.ly Tech Economy Dashboard.
OVA turns 15, with a new city block of resources
For its 15th birthday, One Village Alliance expanded. Not just with a new building, but with an entire block.
The Wilmington organization, which got its start at founder Chandra Pitts' kitchen table, has a mission to uplift children and families in the city's most under-resourced neighborhoods through education, entrepreneurship and the arts. The new expansion includes workforce development in tech and STEM fields.
'We're incorporating technology and bringing wellness to inner-city youth,' Pitts told Technical.ly.
A celebration on Tuesday at the newly renovated OVA Freedom, an urban wellness center near 31st and Market Streets, highlighted partnerships, from individual donors to public servants to businesses big and small.
'I live right down the street,' said New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry, whose mother, retired Senator Margaret Rose Henry, was the first Black woman in the Delaware state senate and One Village Alliance's first political advocate. 'It's good to see things happening in this part of the city.'
The block extends from 40th to 30th Street in a neighborhood best known as the onetime home of Bob Marley. It includes two buildings with more than 15,000 square feet of indoor space. The buildings will house coworking spaces, studios and classrooms — including a computer lab and podcasting studio — a fully licensed commercial kitchen, a conference center and event spaces.
The courtyard at OVA Freedom was designed by Armani Coleman, the organization's VP of operations. Vibrant urban green space that is accessible to low-income communities, Pitts said, leads to lower stress levels, reduced crime and improved academic and economic outcomes.
UD Lerner is offering AI graduate business courses this fall
The University of Delaware's (UD) Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics has expanded its graduate offerings for fall 2025, with three new scholarship opportunities and three programs focused on artificial intelligence.
The three new scholarships, with options for applicants with financial hardship due to job loss, alumni applicants and current undergraduates, provide a 20% tuition reduction and waive the $75 graduate application fee for fall 2025 enrollment.
The new AI graduate courses are a graduate certificate program in generative AI for business, an MBA with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and an M.S. in Applied Artificial Intelligence for Business.
Applications for fall 2025 are open through August 1.
OSD announces a statewide bonding pilot program
The Delaware Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) recently announced the launch of a statewide bonding pilot program that will support small and diverse contractors in securing the credit needed to grow and compete for larger construction opportunities.
Bonding — a type of credit guarantee that protects a business's customers — is required for contractors who want to do business with the government, protecting it and other clients from potential harmful business practices.
Through a partnership with Embrace Partners and the Minority Business Development Institute, the state will sponsor up to 30 qualified contractors to participate in the program. Applications will be accepted beginning July 15 through August 29.
'It can be challenging for smaller firms to get the amount of bonding necessary to bid on larger construction projects,' said OSD Director Shavonne White.
Black contractors in particular often face barriers to obtaining bonding due to challenges in accessing capital and establishing credibility in the industry, says Ayanna Khan, president of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce. Khan has a history of supplier diversity advocacy in the state, and says the move was needed.
'This program can serve as a valuable opportunity to demonstrate their capabilities and access contracts they've historically been excluded from,' she told Technical.ly.. 'We're looking forward to seeing reduced risk for Black contractors, where 'bonded out' is no longer the norm.'
More moves:
Recreational marijuana sales in Delaware start on August 1, but only from a dozen existing medical dispensaries, which will operate without competition until other licensees get the green light.
The state's first data center may be coming to Delaware City. Developer Starwood Digital Ventures is considering building a multimillion-square-foot data center campus on land near the Delaware City Refinery.
There's a potential AI agriculture tech breakthrough at UD. Entomology doctorate student Kudzai Mafuwe uses artificial intelligence to help crop scouts improve pest management.
Governor Meyer's fiscal year 2026 budget passed the legislature this month. The budget has several key provisions in education, healthcare and affordable housing. It includes developer and transportation fee hikes, but no personal tax increase.
After a late-night hearing early this month, the state legislature advanced a contentious offshore wind bill that would allow the state to produce some of its own energy and add new jobs.
Millsummit, Delaware's annual leadership conference, returns to the atrium at 1313 N. Market Street on August 5 for a day of talks, workshops and networking.