Salisbury University Shore Hatchery provides grant funding, mentoring, space, and other resources for business startups. The Shore Hatchery Competition is a bi-annual Mid-Atlantic business competition. The Shore Hatchery is open to any Mid-Atlantic business startups. The program assists entrepreneurs in creating new businesses and jobs in the region. Startups apply for a share of $200,000 annually. The goal of the Shore Hatchery is to reward individuals for their entrepreneurial efforts in the creation and growth of businesses with the potential of positively impacting regional employment within three years.
The Ratcliffe Foundation has been supporting SU’s Shore Hatchery competitions and entrepreneurial activities since 2013. Since the inception of the Shore Hatchery competition in 2013, SU has awarded more than $2,190,000 in grant funds to Mid-Atlantic area startups. They have successfully helped more than 57 businesses launch & grow their new ventures, generating $22,181,242 in annual revenue in 2024 and creating hundreds of jobs in the region.