Staying in the Know With the ESO

• February 28 | Main Street Entrepreneurs Accelerator | The Main Street Entrepreneurs Accelerator (MSEA) program is a training and pitch competition for student entrepreneurs and small business owners in Wake County, aimed at accelerating business growth. Funded by the Conlon Venture Fund and Mike Conlon, President/Owner of Affordable Communities Group, LLC, and a Wells Fargo grant, the program's goal is to reduce barriers and provide education so that entrepreneurs achieve greater, more sustainable success with their existing businesses. Pitch winners will receive an award between $2,000-$8,000 and beyond to help accelerate their business growth.
• March 1 | State of the Region 2022 | Join the annual State of the Region address at the Raleigh Founded Warehouse location on Tuesday, March 1st, 4-5pm with RIoT and Raleigh Founded.
  Once again embracing the State of the Union theme, RIoT’s Tom Snyder will discuss the economy and environment, jobs, domestic and foreign affairs, and North Carolina’s opportunities and threats.
• March 8 | World Funding Women | World Funding Women is a “Follow the Sun” pitch event series by Springboard Enterprises and the London Stock Exchange to celebrate women entrepreneurs from around the world. RSVP to join the global network supporting these businesses and come ready to share your connections and advice. 3 Global Events. 9 Woman Innovators. 24 Hours.
• March 8-10 | NC Main Street Conference | The North Carolina Main Street Conference is the largest statewide downtown revitalization conference in the country. Attendees include downtown economic development professionals, elected officials and local government staff, rural leaders, volunteers, business and property owners, consultants, vendors, and sponsors that are all interested in trends, initiatives, and success stories they can use to leverage downtown and community revitalization in their own communities.
  Fay Horwitt will lead a plenary session inviting us to explore an innovative new framework for healthy and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems as a pathway to recovery, resilience, and the reimagination of North Carolina Main Streets.
• March 11 | THRiVE 2022: Community Leadership Summit | THRiVE 2022 is a celebration of our Triangle community. It’s going to be big - 300+ people, multiple keynote speakers, a DJ, and a ton of time to network and connect. We’re all tired and worn down from the last few years, and we’re designing this day to be a place of fun, respite, and learning.
  Join us for a full day of inspiration. We’ve carefully crafted a lineup of presenters who embody transformative leadership and community engagement. More importantly, we’ve designed a set of activities so that you can actively engage with others.

• E3 Durham is Live! | The E3 Durham Community Navigator Pilot Project, hosted by Forward Cities, is designed to assist Durham business owners on their entrepreneurial journey. Whether an idea for a new business, an existing business seeking to grow, or a business that looks to recover during these uncertain times, the E3 Durham Community Navigator Pilot Project is here to help. The kickoff event was held on February 23, 2022 and will go on through the end of 2023. Learn more at E3Durham.org.
• NC Idea Spring Grant Cycle | Whether you have just launched a startup or are looking to grow and scale your company, NC IDEA has resources that can help in the success of your journey when and where you need it most. Early stage, growth-oriented companies can apply for one of two different NC IDEA grants between January 31 and February 28.
  NC IDEA MICRO awards $10K project-based grants to young companies looking to validate and advance their idea. NC IDEA SEED offers $50K grants to early stage companies, often the critical funding they need to scale faster.

• Ecosystems for Change Podcast | Social Venturers

The Triangle ESO Directory is LIVE!