Thank you for being a part of this thing of ours. ✌️ We look forward to staying connected with you through these platforms: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nc-idea… Facebook: facebook.com/ncidea/ 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 Podcast: buzzsprout.com/2396970/follo… Newsletter: eepurl.com/hUrlxX #NCIDEA

Applications are now open for @TBoostpad's Next Level Accelerator Cohort Program! 🚀 If you're an early-stage startup looking for the tools, resources, and support to scale your business, this 16-week program is your chance to grow. With mentorship, workshops, and networking opportunities, you'll gain valuable resources to take your startup to the next level. Sessions are offered virtually, in-person, and hybrid. Learn more and apply: theboostpad.org/apply #NCIDEA #Entrepreneurship #StartupSuccess

Applications are now OPEN for launchclt.org's CO.STARTERS program! The CO.STARTERS Core Program is a 10-week, cohort-based program that equips aspiring #entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn ideas into action and turn a passion into a sustainable and thriving endeavor. Limited spots are available, so don't wait! Learn more and apply: launchclt.org/co-starters/ #NCIDEA #CharlotteNC #NCecosystem #entrepreneurship #CLT

Hey #WilmingtonNC! 🌊 🏖️ Are you ready to take your startup to the next level? Don’t miss our upcoming information session to learn everything you need about the NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) and #SEED ($50K) grants! 🗓️ : Monday, January 27 ⏰ : 12:00 PM 📍 : @UNCW_CIE - 803 South College Road Gain valuable insights into the application process, learn about eligibility requirements, and pick up tips for crafting a strong application. You’ll also have the chance to connect with the NC IDEA team and hear firsthand experiences from NC IDEA alumni: •Landon Hill, Owner and Founder of @local_catch, #MICRO grantee Secure your spot: bit.ly/4gcLQGC #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED #Grants #WilmingtonNC

What makes #NorthCarolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem so unique? In Episode 5 of 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, we hear from @KristaCovey Covey, President and CEO of @ffvcnc and NC IDEA board member. Krista brings a wealth of experience from her work leading innovation hubs across North Carolina, Florida, and Texas. A passionate advocate for ecosystem building, Krista shares why #NC became her top destination for fostering #entrepreneurship and what sets the state apart as a leader in innovation and collaboration. Don’t miss her insights! 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: bit.ly/3VKj2NA 🎧 Catch new episodes of 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 every other Tuesday on your favorite streaming platform. 🎤 #NCIDEA #ecosysteming #Podcast

And that's a wrap on our #2024EcosystemSummit illustrations! 🎨 🖌️ Over two incredible days, we shared ideas, celebrated achievements, and built a brighter future for #entrepreneurs in #NorthCarolina. To everyone who joined us—and to our sponsors who made this possible—we are deeply grateful. The momentum continues as we look ahead to the #2025EcosystemSummit, marking a milestone year: the 20th anniversary of NC IDEA! 🎉 We are excited to invite all of you to join us for our biggest year yet. It’s going to be something special, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Here’s to an amazing 2025! 🥂 #NCIDEA #2024EcosystemSummit #2025EcosystemSummit

JUST ANNOUNCED: NC IDEA to Kick Off Spring 2025 Grants Cycle with Info Sessions Throughout the State Read More: bit.ly/4iEVfZl #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED

Hey #CharlotteNC! 👑 Are you a founder in the #QueenCity interested in the NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) or #SEED ($50K) grant? Don't miss our upcoming information session! Join us on Thursday, January 16th, at dogreater.org to learn all there is to know about the upcoming Spring 2025 Grant Cycle! 🗓️ : Thursday, January 16 ⏰ : 6:15 PM 📍 : dogreater.org Gain valuable insights into the application process, learn about eligibility requirements, and pick up tips for crafting a strong application. You’ll also have the chance to connect with the NC IDEA team and hear firsthand experiences from NC IDEA alumni: •Kyle Mayers, Co-Founder and CEO of @WheelPrice , #MICRO and #SEED grantee •Keith Charvonia, Founder of BilletTieDowns.com, #SEED grantee Secure your spot: bit.ly/3OZHjeX #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED #Grants #CharlotteNC

Hey #AshevilleNC! ⛰️ Are you a founder interested in applying for our NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) or #SEED ($50K) grants? Join us on Wednesday, January 22nd, at 10:00 a.m. at Hatch Coworking to learn all there is to know about the upcoming Spring 2025 Grant Cycle! 🗓️ : Wednesday, January 22 ⏰ : 10:00 AM 📍 : hatchcoworking.com Gain valuable insights into the application process, learn about eligibility requirements, and pick up tips for crafting a strong application. You’ll also have the chance to connect with the NC IDEA team and hear firsthand experiences from NC IDEA alumni. Secure your spot: bit.ly/4fayae9 #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED #Grants #AshevilleNC

Navigating the funding landscape for #entrepreneurs can be challenging. 💰 Thank you to moderator Justyn Kasierski and panelists Ruminder (Romi) Dhillon, Elaine Fairman, and Jen Greenstein, Ph.D., for sharing their expertise during 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘓𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦 featured panel. This panel highlighted the current landscape of startup capital in #NorthCarolina, shared insights on securing funding from diverse sources, explained the nuances of different funding types, and offered actionable strategies to help startups refine their funding approach. #NCIDEA #2024EcosystemSummit

So @TomSnyderRIoT of @RIoTonSocial , @ThomRuhe of @ncidea and @ffvcnc spoke to the Economic developers of North Carolina Yes entrepreneur development Is economic Development wral.com/business/edpnc-tom-… Article in @WRALTechWire

Fun interview in Wilmington NC with four local entrepreneurs to discuss their startups in local ecosystem that is now ELEVEN years old whqr.org/podcast/the-newsroo… @ncidea @UNCW_CIE

The Spring 2025 Grant Cycle is right around the corner! Are you a #NC entrepreneur interested in applying for our NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) or #SEED ($50K) grants? Don’t miss our Spring 2025 Grants Information Webinar! 🗓️ : Monday, January 13, 2025 ⏰ : 3:00 PM Gain valuable insights into the application process, learn about eligibility requirements, and pick up tips for crafting a strong application. You’ll also have the chance to connect with the NC IDEA team and hear firsthand experiences from NC IDEA alumni. Secure your spot: bit.ly/3Bqnc6h #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED #Grants #Webinar

$1.5–2 Billion (Yearly) Economic Impact. That’s the incredible potential of #entrepreneurship for #NorthCarolina’s economy. A huge thank you to Caroline Glackin and William Toole for leading the 𝘙𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘊 featured panel at the #2024EcosystemSummit. They shared groundbreaking data from the @NCSecState, sparking vital conversations about the urgent need for a cohesive, statewide entrepreneurship strategy. Dive into the full report here: bit.ly/41yZOhx #2024EcosystemSummit #Ecosysteming

Phew... 😅 By our President and CEO, @ThomRuhe. NC IDEA is pleased to announce the addition of four Regional Entrepreneurs In Residence (EIRs) to support our partnership with NCInnovation. 🤝 Applications for our NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) and #SEED ($50K) grants open in 45 days. Don't miss our upcoming webinar for all the details. 💻 Discover the perfect holiday gift! Explore our 8th annual holiday gift guide featuring NC IDEA funded companies. 🎁 Episode 4 of 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 is live! Gain insights from Dr.@SonjaEbron, NC IDEA board member and recipient of #SEED and #GROWTH grants. 🎧 Our most recent NC IDEA newsletter is here: bit.ly/3ZSq8lK #NCIDEA #newsletter

Meeting staffing demands can be very challenging. 👥 😱 #FounderFriday That’s where our NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) and #SEED ($50K) grantee, @webward3 of @goflexie is making a difference. Based out of #CharlotteNC, goflexie.com has set out to empower young people to succeed and thrive financially while helping businesses solve critical staffing shortages. By partnering with restaurant franchise owners, Flexie addresses staff shortages, enabling restaurants to meet sales goals and lower labor costs. Find qualified people to fill staffing needs in seconds, not months. Learn more about William here: bit.ly/4fjULVE #FounderFriday #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED #CharlotteNC

“Imagine if something is injected into an artificial intelligence chip that’s being used for self-driving vehicles and it turns stop signs into green lights, or vice versa.” - Dave Germano, Senior Business Advisor of mithrilai.com Our 2024 NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) grantee, Furkan Aydin and his team at mithrilai.com are tackling the challenges of #AI security. Their advanced technologies protect #AI models by ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability—safeguarding critical systems from vulnerabilities. Curious to learn more? Check out their latest feature: bit.ly/3VCvLSC 🗞️ By: Connie Gentry #NCIDEA #MICRO

Kick-off 2025 with the chance to secure an NC IDEA #MICRO ($10K) or #SEED ($50K) grant! Applications for the Spring 2025 Grant Cycle open 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟳𝘁𝗵. Are you a #NorthCarolina entrepreneur interested in applying? Join one of our upcoming info sessions to get all the details you need to build a strong application: 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟯 – 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗪𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿) bit.ly/3Bqnc6h 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟮 – 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 bit.ly/4fayae9 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟳 – 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 bit.ly/4gcLQGC 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟴 – 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 bit.ly/49z2HRr 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟵 – 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻-𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 bit.ly/4iAS84K 𝗧𝗕𝗔 – 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 Have specific questions? Sign up for our 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 to connect directly with an NC IDEA team member: bit.ly/4gqR5Tv Learn more: ncidea.org/spring-2025-grant… #NCIDEA #MICRO #SEED #GrantCycle #2025

JUST ANNOUNCED: @ncidea Foundation Adds Four Regional Entrepreneurs In Residence to Team Read more: bit.ly/41vrNyz #NCIDEA #EIR