Join us for a vibrant networking night hosted by Wake Forest Founders, where entrepreneurs, local citizens, freelancers, employers, and anyone passionate about business come together for an evening of connection and collaboration. Whether you're looking to expand your professional network, explore entrepreneurial opportunities, or simply mingle with the diverse and dynamic individuals shaping the business landscape of Wake Forest, this event is open to all. Don't miss this opportunity to forge valuable connections and discover the rich tapestry of talent and innovation thriving within our community.

The entrepreneurial journey can be both exciting and frustrating, and Innovate Carolina is partnering with experts to support you along the way.

Join us for an insightful workshop session featuring Zachery Eanes, a reporter for Axios and Pete McEntegart, the managing editor for GrepBeat. Eanes and McEntegart will provide invaluable strategies to position and promote your idea or venture to garner press interest and amplification. Discover how startups can strategically market their products by capturing the attention of the press and leveraging media channels effectively.

To attend other events, please visit innovate.unc.edu/events.

Building on the success of our pilot program in 2023, the WFBIP is excited to announce our ongoing efforts through the Wake Forest Founders Program - in connection with Dr. Tim Flood from Kenan-Flagler Business School - a cohort-based Accelerator program! The WFF Cohort #1 Application is due by Friday, March 15, 2024, by 12:00 PM EST.

The structure of the Accelerator will include three-weekend intensives, with the formal programming occurring on Saturdays (targeted weekends: March 22-24, 2024; April 19-21, 2024; May 17-19, 2024) along with ongoing coaching, subject-specific work sessions, mentorship, pitch scrubs, and direct support throughout the Spring.

Discover details about Wake Forest Founders, and apply today!

Join us for a vibrant networking night hosted by Wake Forest Founders, where entrepreneurs, local citizens, freelancers, employers, and anyone passionate about business come together for an evening of connection and collaboration. Whether you're looking to expand your professional network, explore entrepreneurial opportunities, or simply mingle with the diverse and dynamic individuals shaping the business landscape of Wake Forest, this event is open to all. Don't miss this opportunity to forge valuable connections and discover the rich tapestry of talent and innovation thriving within our community.

Thinking about starting a business here in Wake County? Or are you looking for resources to help grow your current operation? Join us on February 6th for an informative lunch and learn from the Wake Tech Entrepreneurship & Small Business Center Director, Todd Lyden.

Wake Tech's Small Business Center can help you start and grow your business in Wake County with free small-business counseling and training programs to support you through various phases of your entrepreneurship journey. Whether you're just beginning with an innovative idea or have been in business for years and want an extra perspective as you develop new strategies, they are here to help!

As part of the Small Business Center Network of North Carolina, their team works to provide small-business owners with the information they need to start or expand a business through confidential, one-on-one counseling, along with various seminars, workshops and more.

In addition to offering traditional counseling and seminars for new and existing small businesses, they work to build partnerships and innovative initiatives that can strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem of Wake County.

Come with questions - and come hungry - to learn about starting and growing your business in Wake County!

The entrepreneurial journey can be exciting at times and frustrating at other times. Innovate Carolina is partnering with experts to support you along the way. Join us as we bring in an expert from Hutchison Law to take you through the business formation options, processes, and things you will need to know in your first couple of years in business.  

Speaker Bio: Ford Eubanks joined Hutchison Law in late 2023, bringing a unique skillset in areas such as venture and angel financing, corporate governance, equity matters, contract negotiation, and mergers & acquisitions, and more. He currently serves as an adjunct professor teaching Venture Finance Law at UNC’s School of Law.

Speaker: Connor Strickland, Redemptive Digital

Location: The Graham Johnson Cultural Arts Center “The Graham,” 306 South White Street, Wake Forest

Join us for an enriching midday experience at the WFF Lunch and Learn event: "Headshots and Hot Pizza" You’ll have the opportunity to update your professional image with a headshot session, savor a delicious lunch of hot pizza, and connect with fellow attendees. Our featured speaker, Connor Strickland from Redemptive Digital, will share insights to inspire and inform. Come for a simple and enjoyable blend of professional development, good food, and networking. See you there!

Speaker Bio: Connor Strickland is a digital marketing entrepreneur specializing in construction and real estate through Redemptive Digital. Redemptive Digital is a digital marketing agency based in Raleigh, NC. Strickland is also the founder of an affordable plant delivery service in North Carolina known as The Plant Firm.