Unleashing possibilities with the power of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.

What you'll read:

1. Message from Our Director, Heather
2. Intentional: Planning for a Remarkable 2026
3. Thrive Lab
4. Wilmington Innovation Forum
5. NC TECH Award Winners!
6. Congratulations to CIE Mentee Cyber-PARK: NC Innovation Award
7. Calendar Quick View
8. Event Highlights
9. CIE in the News
10. Parting Thought

1. Message from Our Director, Heather

As we welcome a new year, I am filled with gratitude and optimism for what lies ahead for our innovation community. It is inspiring to reflect on how far Wilmington’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has come (a lot has changed since I arrived in Wilmington in 2017!) and the role so many of you have played in that progress. Each conversation, program, connection, and courageous idea contributes to a community that continues to grow stronger and better together.

One of the most powerful reminders of what is possible came full circle for me this past year. I still remember meeting with the early team at Vantaca when they were just getting started, working through ideas with a small group and big ambition. Seeing that same Wilmington-based company reach unicorn status is not just a success story for one business, it is a signal of what can happen when talent, vision, and community support come together over time.

As we look ahead, my hope is that this story serves as inspiration for founders, students, faculty, mentors, and partners across our region. Success in innovation is not reserved for a select few. It is built through shared effort, collaboration, and a willingness to engage. At CIE, we are here to help you take the next step, wherever you are on your journey, and we are excited to continue building the future of innovation in our community together.

Here’s to a year of possibility,
Heather McWhorter, UNCW CIE Director

2. Intentional: Planning for a Remarkable 2026

3. Thrive Lab

CIE is proud to launch Thrive Lab, a multi-month program designed to equip small business owners with the skills, mentorship, and strategic foundations needed to grow and succeed.

Beginning March 2026, Thrive Lab will guide participants through a three-plus-month series of sessions focused on finance, funding, sales, product strategy, and leadership. Entrepreneurs will also build a strong peer network and receive hands-on support to develop the mindset and capabilities of CEOs, CFOs, and CPOs, all while preserving the unique strengths that make their business thrive.

Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level? Apply to Thrive Lab Now!

Application Deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026, at 5 p.m.

Program Cost: $750 - The total fee for the program has been reduced to $750, made possible by a generous gift by Wells Fargo that covered half of the original $1,500 cost. You will be invoiced upon admittance into the program.

Qualifications:

• You are the founder, co-founder, or owner of your business.
• Your company has revenue (pre-revenue startups are not eligible).
• You are actively looking to scale your business.
• You can commit to attending the monthly in person sessions in their entirety.
• The program is industry agnostic; all sectors are welcome.

What’s in it for YOU?

• Mentorship and guidance; access to CIE mentors
• Connections to a network of UNCW community and ecosystem partners
• Hear from expert speakers and panelists
• Peer mentoring
• Included course materials
• Post-program support

4. Wilmington Innovation Forum

Wilmington Innovation Forum: How Entrepreneurs Work with Mentors

Thursday, February 5, 2026, | Noon – 1:00 p.m.

UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

The Wilmington Innovation Forum is a new monthly series spotlighting ideas and expertise shaping our region’s future. Each session features a talk by a UNCW faculty member or community expert, followed by interactive Q&A.

This month’s program focuses on the role of mentors in entrepreneurship, covering:

• Types of entrepreneurs and mentors
• Support mentors provide
• Tips for finding a mentor
• Programs that connect mentors with entrepreneurs

Featured Speaker: Seth Butler is an Assistant Professor at UNCW's Cameron School of Business, where he teaches and researches entrepreneurship. He received a PhD and MBA from The University of Alabama.

Registration & Cost:

• Free for CIE members, tenants, mentors, and coworkers
• $5 for non-members

Join us February 5 to explore how mentorship can shape entrepreneurial success and strengthen Wilmington’s innovation ecosystem.

5. NC TECH Award Winners

The North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH) Awards shine a spotlight on the innovators, leaders, and companies driving our state’s tech ecosystem forward. We’re proud to congratulate the Wilmington region winners who are making waves in their industries:

• Artemis Immersive, Biotech + Healthtech Innovation category
• UNCW CIE tenant, Athian, Sustainable Tech Innovation category
• Predicate, AL, ML + Data Innovation category
• SkillMarker.Ai, Top Tech Startups to Watch

In addition, a congratulations to the other finalists from Wilmington: Nuream and Ohanafy. Congratulations again to all the winners, you inspire us every day!

6. Congratulations CIE Mentee Cyber-PARK: NC Innovation Grant

8. Upcoming Event Highlights

Deep Dive into Agentic AI 201

Wednesday, January 7, 2026, | 100:30–11:30 a.m.

UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

Cost: Free

Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, and agentic systems are at the forefront of this transformation. In this advanced workshop, Dr. Karl Ricanek will guide participants through the core components that power Agentic AI, showing how tools integrate to enable planning, memory, and dynamic decision-making.

Through live examples and walkthroughs, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how agentic frameworks are built and how they can be applied in real-world contexts.

• Learn how agentic systems combine tools for intelligent action
• See practical demonstrations of planning and memory in AI
• Gain insights into dynamic decision-making frameworks
• Connect with peers interested in cutting-edge innovation

Register Here for the Deep Dive

Welcome Wednesday at UNCW CIE

Wednesday, February 4, 2026, | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

Cost: Free | Registration not required

Sponsored by: City of Wilmington

Start the new year by connecting with Wilmington’s innovation hub! Welcome Wednesday is an open-house style event where visitors are invited to explore the CIE, meet our staff, and learn more about the programs and ecosystem partners that support entrepreneurship and innovation in our region. Welcome Wednesday includes:

• Guided tours of the CIE facility
• Opportunities to ask questions about CIE and UNCW programs
• Connections to local ecosystem partners
• Bonus: Free coworking all day for entrepreneurs!

9. CIE in the News

• 
  Cyber-PARK Project Selected for NCINnovation Funding (UNCW, Dec 11) - CIE mentee and Idea Test Lab graduate, Dr. Ellie Ebrahimi, recognized through NCInnovation
• 1 Million Cups Wilmington: You Are Invited (GWBJ Insights, Dec 9) - Overview of what 1MC is
• Meet The 2025 WilmingtonBiz 100 (GWBJ, Dec 8) - CIE Director Heather McWhorter is named in WilmingtonBiz 100
• Athian Clinches $4M Series A Round as Farmer Emissions Milestone Marks Momentum (Global AgInvesting, Nov 26) - CIE tenant, Athian closes $4M Series A Round
• NC IDEA Ecosystem Summit Celebrates 20 Years of "This Thing of Ours" (GrepBeat, Nov 20) - Read more about the "Building NC's Innovation Clusters" panel moderated by Heather McWhorter
• Meeting High Standards: Maritime Maids Yacht Cleaning (Wrightsville Beach Magazine, Nov 20) – Maritime Maids was a Coastal Entrepreneur Award winner in 2025
• A Pulse on Nursing: Shannon Ford develops PULSE technology for nursing education (WILMA, Nov 14) – Shannon recently placed 2^nd in Idea Test Lab

10. Parting Thought

"Adapt to Thrive," Hoop Morgan, Founder of The Forte Institute and Author of the book, Communication Intelligence