June CIE Connection

Empowering bold ideas, courageous individuals, and our community through innovation and entrepreneurship.

What you'll read:

1. UNCW Wins National Award

2. The Potential of Startup Businesses

3. Tenant Spotlight: Chip Phillips

4. Cape Fear MED Week Recap

5. Wilmington Inventor's Day Scheduled for November 13

6. Global Entrepreneurship Week Wilmington

7. Welcome Wednesday

8. CIE in the News

9. Parting Thought

UNCW has earned the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) 2024 Award of Excellence, affirming its leadership in environmental innovation and commitment to community partnership. CIE Director Heather McWhorter highlighted UNCW’s impact with programs such as the Alliance for the Blue Economy, Ocean Innovation Conference, and Idea Test Lab powered by Wells Fargo.

"I am deeply honored by this national recognition from UEDA,” said McWhorter. “It highlights the power of collaboration between innovators, entrepreneurs, universities and the community to address complex challenges. Together, we can turn big ideas into real solutions."

The North Carolina Secretary of State, along with Fayetteville State University, released research showing how small gains in starting businesses and their self-sufficiency means even greater gains for job growth as well as a boost in NC's economy.

Most businesses claim they're self-suffient when they earn an annual revenue of $50,000 or more. Sadly enough, only 37% of businesses claim self-suffiency, which doesn't help in the employment rate as self-suffient businesses hire an average of 9 employees, while a 45% of businesses that are not self-suffient—but are aspiring—only hire 2.66 employees.

By helping just 5% of aspiring businesses, it would create 24,550 new jobs every year! Given an average salary of $40,000 would mean $980 million in new wages which using the multiplier effect of consumerism and tax revenue would result in an state-wide economic boom of 1.5 to 2 billion dollars! However, the windows to help such businesses is the hard part, as there are small windows of time to help given the fact 25% of new businesses close within their first three years—and 50% within their seventh.

Chip Phillips is a construction industry innovator who brings a unique blend of technology sales and building materials expertise to his role as founder of Constructiv AI. With experience spanning both the tech sector at Elliott Data Systems and construction industry leadership at Goldsboro Builders Supply, Chip has consistently driven innovation and efficiency improvements throughout his career.

Founded in August 2024 and newly located at CIE, Constructiv AI represents Chip's vision to transform how construction businesses operate. "Throughout my career, I've seen how the right technology can revolutionize business operations," Chip says. "In construction, I witnessed talented builders spending more time buried in paperwork than doing what they do best - building amazing spaces. That's why we created Constructiv AI with tools that are truly intuitive and immediately useful."

Constructiv AI offers customizable AI tools for small to midsize construction firms, saving up to 10 hours a week on admin tasks. These tools enhance communication, documentation, and building efficiency, requiring no extensive training. A beta version is planned for release by the end of 2024.

Join us in supporting Constructiv AI's growth and innovation by connecting and collaborating with Chip as he advances his platform.

We are thrilled you joined us for Cape Fear's Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, a vibrant celebration filled with engaging programs and inspiring outreach events. This week was a tribute to the remarkable accomplishments of minority entrepreneurs and a proud testament to the unwavering commitment of government agencies, business leaders, and community advocates to the fundamental principle of equal opportunity.

The Seahawk Connect Job and Internship Mixer on October 8th was a resounding success. Hosted by the UNCW Career Center, Cameron School of Business, and the CIE, this event provided UNCW students with a chance to connect and learn from accomplished local alumni business owners.

CIE also participated in Genesis Block's Conversations to Contracts program and held a "Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch" session.

Event 1: Starting the day off, join us at 9:00 AM at One Million Cups at CIE. The first presenter will be the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with a 6-minute, fast-paced overview of free resources available to advance innovation! This program is available for all community members, from academia, inventors, entrepreneurs, & more. No registration is required.

Event 2: Next, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Discovery Hall/Randall Library, USPTO will present Career Edge: STEM and Business. Here students will explore careers with USPTO, discover the hiring process for STEM professionals, and learn what to expect in the day to day life of a patent examiner.

Event 3: Then, 12:00 noon to 2:00 PM at the CIE, is the National Academy of Inventors Lunch which will also present insider tips for patents. Please know that this lunch event is INVITE ONLY (this luncheon is focused on faculty inventors).

Event 4: Finally, from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM USPTO will host a workshop called "Demystifying the Patent Process" at UNCW CIE. For registration, please click here.

⬆️This could be you⬆️

CIE has offices available!

Why choose an office at CIE?

Dedication to Innovators’ Success: We’re more than just a space; we’re your partners in growth. Our mentoring programs, workshops, and networking events are tailored to propel your entrepreneurial success.
Quiet and Work-Friendly Offices: Silence is golden for productivity. Our offices are designed to minimize background noise, ensuring a serene environment for focused work.
24/7 Access: Entrepreneurs thrive on flexibility. Our coworking space provides round-the-clock access, allowing you to work whenever inspiration strikes.
Free Conference Room Reservations: Need a professional setting for meetings? Our conference rooms are at your disposal, free of charge, for collaborative sessions and client presentations.
Free Parking: Forget the hassle of hunting for parking spots. Our convenient location offers free parking just steps away from your workspace.

Interested in renting an office at CIE?

Clink the link below for more information,

or contact us at CIE@UNCW.EDU to schedule a tour!

1. UNCW National Awards

2. Potential of Startup Businesses

3. Tenant Spotlight: Chip Phillips

4. Cape Fear MED Week Recap

5. GEW Wilmington

6. Office Space Available

7. Welcome Wednesday

Visitors, welcome! CIE staff will be available all day to provide tours of our facility, to answer questions about CIE or UNCW, and to connect you to programs and ecosystem partners. As a bonus there will be free coworking all day for entrepreneurs and NO registration is required!

8. CIE in the News

9. Parting Thought