About Us

Leading the Way in Innovation and a ChemTech Future

Formed in 2010, DESCA's mission is to enable entrepreneurial scientists innovating in materials, chemicals, advanced materials, biochemistry, agriscience, and industrial biology commercialize their innovations while simultaneously ensuring that the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem meets the evolving needs of the industry. We do this by:

Building on a strong, existing foundation in chemical and advanced materials technology in the region to drive innovation and collaborative partnerships between major strategics, startups and universities, and building a M&A pipeline;

Driving the conversation around the adoption of digital technologies in these industries, a key driver in sustainability for the future;

Harmonizing the development of talent with validated industry needs.

why delaware?

A legacy industry that is evolving

The global chemical industry is a $4 trillion industry, and, in the US, it contributes the largest non-defense trade surplus of any economic sector. Companies located in Delaware have a combined market cap of over $350B, and over $900M has been invest in innovation within a 25 mile radus of Wilmington since 2015. Furthermore, Delaware’s dynamic chemical, material, agriscience and industrial biology companies are evolving by producing new products with enhanced features and delivering better service, which results in more value on smaller volume.

Continuous innovation

These Delaware companies are reacting to market forces to make products from sources other than oil. In addition, more and more companies are choosing to innovate from the outside in: from open innovation, to joint development programs, strategic partnerships and increasing M&A activity, outside-in innovation can increase speed to market.

Talent pipeline

The area is home to world-class research universities with strengths in chemistry and chemical engineering. The University of Delaware alone has a top 10 ranked Chemical Engineering program and multiple research institutes directly related to sustainable chemistry, such as the Center for Composite Materials, the Energy Institute, the Center for the Study of Metals in the Environment, the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, and the Delaware Environmental Institute.