News & Insights

NC IDEA SEED: Seeking High-Potential Startups

NC IDEA Newsletter – August 23, 2018




Over the last twelve years, NC IDEA has awarded over $5.6M in non-dilutive grants to 132 growth-oriented companies across North Carolina through its NC IDEA SEED grant program. Our current Fall 2018 grant cycle is underway and our final deadline is in just over two weeks.Now in its 26th cycle, NC IDEA SEED continues to provide $50,000 grants to innovative NC-based startups, and those looking to relocate to North Carolina, typically between proof of concept and profitability. The grants, along with mentorship and other program offerings, are intended to support business activities that validate target markets, reduce risk associated with early stage companies and help companies get to the point of suitability for growth; whether through investment or revenue.Considering applying (or know someone that should) and want to learn more?

 The NC IDEA SEED application will be available online now through September 10 at 5:00pm EST. Best of luck!

 NC IDEA LABS Application Opens August 27th 


NC IDEA LABS will be seeking applications from ambitious entrepreneurs for our second Fall Cohort starting August 27th

NC IDEA LABS is an intensive four-week program designed to help entrepreneurs take the proper steps to move their companies forward. Through assistance with customer discovery, assumption validation and decision-making processes, participants will engage directly with the market to assess customer pains and develop informed strategies for product/market fit. Subsequent mentorship, programming and resources will be offered to those who demonstrate coachability and make meaningful progress while in the program.

Want to learn more? Check out the recordings of our recent webinar and in-person Q&A.

Our second Fall Cohort will run from October 22 through November 16.  

For more information about NC IDEA LABS and participant eligibility, click here.

NC IDEA Summer School Series

     

Miss Any of Our Summer School Sessions?

This summer, NC IDEA hosted a series of programming open to the entrepreneurial community of North Carolina that focused on topics to help you grow your business. Each week, we teamed up with experts in their respective fields and held sessions on Leadership and Growth, Perfecting Your Pitch, Marketing for Startups and Talking to Customers, just to name a few.

In case you missed any of the sessions, we’ve got them all available on our YouTube channel. Enjoy and please send us any feedback or suggestions for future topics to cover.

 Join the NC IDEA Team

We are expanding our team to better serve a growing community of entrepreneurs, from the mountains to the coast of North Carolina. We are looking for someone who is excited about working with startups and the outcomes that those startups will create for the economy. So, we are adding a Senior Director, Finance.

Generally speaking, the position will manage all financial and accounting related activities for the Foundation, akin to what is generally considered CFO duties; as well as participating in a variety of programming. Click here for a full job description and details on how to apply.

Other News & Events

             

CED Tech Conference
Raleigh, NC
September 12-13, 2018

As the premier event for technology entrepreneurs in the Southeast, the CED Tech Conference attracts 800+ attendees including trailblazing entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders and industry visionaries from across the nation to the Raleigh Convention Center in NC, recently ranked the #1 Best State for Business (Forbes). Now in its 34th year, the two-day event showcases entrepreneurial companies and connects them with partners, investors and other organizations to accelerate business growth.

Learn more and register here.

Black Wall Street Homecoming
Durham, NC
September 26-29, 2018

Black Wall Street Homecoming is an annual networking conference for early stage entrepreneurs, focused on the intersection of content, connections and culture. Celebrate and learn from diverse, multicultural entrepreneurs, their investors and the community that supports them. This year, the schedule is full with 3 days of content with 5 tracks of programming and an awesome lineup of speakers! To be sure there’s something for everyone, special sessions have been developed for professionals in creative industries, food & agriculture, real estate, social good and consumer products/retail.

Learn more and register here.

All Things Open
Raleigh, NC
October 22, 2018

All Things Open, the largest open source, open tech and open web conference on the east coast of the United States, will host its third annual “Open” Pitch Competition on Monday, October 2​2​, 201​8​. Five winning teams will be chosen to deliver 5-minute pitches (with 5 minutes of Q&A) presenting their company from the main stage to a panel of VCs, CEOs and ​f​ounders. The pitch session will be in front of a live plenary audience. More than ​3,5​00 technologists and decision makers are expected to attend the event from all over the United States and the world.

Companies interested in pitching must submit an application by August 31. Click here to apply or learn more about the event.


Big Launch Challenge
Danville, VA
November 7, 2018

The Launch Place, an established entrepreneurial development organization headquartered in Danville, Virginia, and First Flight Venture Center, the largest technology incubator in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, have come together to host their fifth business plan competition. The pitch competition includes awards totaling up to $20,000 for the winners. The challenge has a total of two rounds, plus a final LIVE event with keynote speaker and judge Paul Singh, a successful entrepreneur and investor.Companies interested in pitching must submit an application by August 27 here. Click here if you want to learn more and register to attend the event.

For more industry news and events, visit WRALTechWire.com