March will be Madness but April is going to be INSANELY good content and contacts to help Wilmington startups

Every city in the world wants companies like nCino, Live Oak Bank and Apiture. (ok, bad timing given the announcement yesterday) Here are some open jobs that NEW helped recruit to Wilmington.

And news that the CITY OF WILMINGTON could buy the PPD building?
Can we KEEP the Life Sciences wet labs for local biotech industry startups?
https://portcitydaily.com/latest-news/2023/01/19/city-eyes-downtowns-tallest-building-for-68m/

But I am even more excited about what is NEXT!!!!

We sold 65% of the tickets to our next event in one email 

First things First
We have a new annual sponsor
Please welcome friend John Hinnant and Nick Silivanch of Eastern Carolinas Commercial Real Estate 
I worked with John on the Suzy jobs and new office.
https://wraltechwire.com/2021/10/21/tech-startup-bringing-120000-a-year-jobs-to-wilmington/


What is NEXT?
Smart people know that a big part of the future of the Wilmington startup ecosystem is what the employees of Live Oak Bank and nCino will do next if they decide to become entrepreneurs with the experience of working alongside good management.

And now we are finally starting to see that with the sprouts like Telios and Ohanafy Software.

So we are going to put this talent and experience on stage to talk to the entrepreneurs of Wilmington to share what they learned and how they are putting that experience to work.

We have invited and confirmed 
Natalie Waggett - High level sales executive with nCino and now a software entrepreneur
Dory Weiss - High level software engineer with nCino and is now a leader with a new job
and 
Tim McLoughlin of Cofounders Capital to moderate a Riverside Chat on March 2nd 
(Cofounders Capital is an investor in Wilmington based EasyVote Solutions)

RSVP 
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/is-your-startup-a-unicorn-workhorse-or-camel-march-2nd-event-tickets-518110160437


Drum Roll PLEASE - And now the most ambitious event in the EIGHT YEAR history of NEW!!

The biggest event since Coastal Connect in 2014 when I brought the leader of South by Southwest to Wilmington for our own venture capital conference.

OK, OK, OK 
WHAT could be bigger than the future of the Wilmington Startup Ecosystem?

How those startups will be funded?

I am sure all of you have read this article about the challenge of startups to find capital in Wilmington.
https://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/entrepreneurs/2023/01/06/wilmingtons_slim_local_capital_market/24017

So instead of Bitching like all the rest, I will attempt to be part of the solution.

So I am inviting ALL of the investors that I know to come to Wilmington for Azalea Festival.

For the inaugural Wilmington Investor BUZZ In Event

In a private invitation only event, 
We will have FOUR out of town investors discuss their funds
We have investors who will speak confirmed from Charleston and Tennessee
And have invited investors from Boston and Raleigh.

We will have four - six local startups pitch their value propositions 

And then we will open the doors to ALL at 4 PM

And we have landed the BIGGEST SPEAKER of all 
Scot Wingo - the highest profile serial entrepreneur in Raleigh and ALL of North Carolina
He was founder of Stingray Software, AuctionRover and ChannelAdvisor (IPO)
And now the CEO of Spiffy with a Wilmington franchise. - click for $20 off service 

And Scot Wingo is the Founder of the Triangle Tweener Fund who is making huge waves in Raleigh / Durham
https://wraltechwire.com/2023/01/11/triangle-tweener-fund-fuels-startups-with-56-investments-nearly-3m-in-deals/

So stay tuned as we have a few more details to tighten up.

EVENTS

1 Million Cups Wilmington 
Every Wednesday morning at 9 am 
UNCW CIE
https://www.1millioncups.com/s/account/0014W00002AqQgGQAV/wilmington-nc

January 24th - UNCW CIE 
Living your life and work life with intentionality
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intentional-plan-for-a-remarkable-2023-tickets-489018536607

January 26 - Noon
NC IDEA statewide tour comes to Wilmington - MUST register 
https://ncidea.org/spring-2023/

March 29-30
CED Venture Connect Investor Conference 
https://cednc.org/venture-connect/

DigSouth Tech Summit - Charleston  (Did you apply to pitch your startup on stage?)
https://www.digsouthtechsummit.com/
 

SPONSORS-