The Wake Forest Business & Industry Partnership (WFBIP) is excited to announce that our Pilot cohort for the Wake Forest Founders Program has launched! We will have ongoing direct support to founders, strategic workshops with local subject matter experts, and weekly coaching sessions with a Founder-In-Residence for each participant.
Wake Forest is home to a strong and growing network of entrepreneurial endeavors. At the same time, the WFBIP has successfully facilitated several critical investments on behalf of the Town, including The Loading Dock — a coworking & collaborative space at 525 S White Street Downtown. As a result, more and more entrepreneurial ventures are being rooted in the community. Seeking to support existing entrepreneurs with their next steps as well as spur new entrepreneurial activity locally, the WFBIP, Town leadership, and community stakeholders have coalesced for the next step in cultivating this burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The Research Triangle region has seen noteworthy economic success in recent years; however, there is always room for investment and improvement to sustain that upward trajectory. The Wake Forest Founders Program is structured primarily to address chronic needs and industry-specific issues. The WFBIP and team at The Loading Dock - Wake Forest have come together to address what local companies need to flourish in the community’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
With more companies investing and scaling in Wake Forest, especially in the tech industry, the WFBIP and Loading Dock see an opportunity to add a structured program to the Town's mix of existing entrepreneurial resources. As an industry-agnostic program, the goal is to reach founders and small businesses that have yet to be meaningfully engaged in the Wake Forest business community. “We have a diverse economy in Wake Forest, and we are looking for businesses positioned for scalable and rapid growth,” says Jason Cannon, President of the WFBIP. “We believe various industries would benefit from the concentrated resources that the program will provide. While we recognize we’re an active part of the technology-rich Research Triangle region, we are not solely targeting technology companies in the traditional sense.”
No stranger to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Wake County is Clark Rinehart, Founder of Coworking NC and longtime friend of the WFBIP. As Founder-In-Residence, he is leading the development, execution, and management of the overall program and will ensure each cohort member’s success. Along with WFBIP, Rinehart will be assisted by Velvet Nelson, Chief Strategy Officer at Loading Dock, who brings a wealth of experience to this program as a founder herself and as a result of her successful tenure at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Launch. Together, they will work alongside WFBIP and a network of Town stakeholders throughout the cohort.
“Going from an idea in a founder’s brain to growing a business is hard work,” says Rinehart. “It takes courage, sacrifice, personal and professional support systems, and a multitude of connections. With this program, the WFBIP will provide those resources, along with other offerings, directly to founders with the goal of scaling their businesses early on in the entrepreneurial journey.”
Eight to Ten Wake Forest scaling businesses, selected through a competitive application process, will have access to thought leaders in the region, core entrepreneurial curriculum and training, legal support, access to capital networks, and pitch scrubs, among other offerings. Applications will be rolling through the Winter/Spring of 2023. Learn more about the Wake Forest Founders Program.
