June CIE Connection

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

1. Honoring Innovators and Job Creators: Coastal Entrepreneur Awards

2. Celebrating Rising Stars🌟

3. Celebrating Five Years of Innovation: 1MC Wilmington Milestone Anniversary

4. "CIEHawks"

5. Discover the Perfect Venue for Your Next Meeting or Event at the CIE Retreat

6. Enhancing Your Tenancy: Dining Services and Maker Space

7. Event Highlights

8. Calendar Quick View

9. CIE in the News

10. Parting Thought

On February 6, GrepBeat launched its first “Rising Stars” event. An enthusiastic gathering of founders, support organizations, sponsors, and more came together to honor the remarkable individuals driving innovation and growth in the Triangle and Wilmington startup ecosystems.

Out of 100 nominations, 10 "Rising Stars" were chosen by 5 judges, including CIE Director Heather McWhorter. To everyone chosen, congratulations!🎉 Special shoutout to the CIE-affiliated winners: Lydia Thomas, Jack Fleming, and Nannette Stangle-Castor.

On February 12th, CIE buzzed with energy as we celebrated the the Five-Year Anniversary of 1 Million Cups (1MC) Wilmington! From the Coalition Expo in the CIE lobby to the great speakers and program, this significant event brought together entrepreneurs and community leaders for networking, collaboration, and inspiration. Over the past five years, 1MC Wilmington, hosted by CIE and led by volunteers, has served as a key platform for entrepreneurs to present their ideas, receive feedback, and grow their businesses. Check out the photos here and video here!

CIE is home to many interns, or "CIEHawks", all of whom are students at UNCW, home of the Seahawks. Make sure to say hello at the front desk or the student office to this semester's new and returning interns! They are a critical part of our team, they learn a lot while they are at CIE, and we hope that they make a lot of connections...with people like you!

Tia Cook - A sophomore majoring in Environmental Science. Tia started in February as a CIE All Blue Intern.

Carolyn Greenway - As senior majoring in Oceanography, Carolyn works as a CIE All Blue Intern.

Katie Hoover - A senior at UNCW, Major in Business Administration with a Concentration in Marketing Strategy and a minor in Leadership. She is a marketing intern and has been with CIE the longest of the CIEHawks.

Kennedy Huntsman - A first-year graduate student studying Coastal and Ocean Policy. Kennedy works as an office assistant at CIE.

Tristan Caudle - A senior majoring Film Studies and Creative Writing. His role is a senior office assistant and marketing intern.

Jaylen Scales - A sophomore majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology, Jaylen works as a office assistant.

Kyla Keenan - A freshman majoring in Political Science and is here as an office assistant.

Bayley Duncan - A freshman majoring in Communications with a minor in Journalism. Her role in CIE is an office assistant intern.

Maya Dulli-ray - Maya is an All Blue intern, working with Cape Fear's Going Green.

Seth Mangum - A sophomore majoring in Business Administration concentrating in Marketing Strategy. His position begins in March, so he is our newest CIEHawk. His role at CIE is Marketing Intern.

We are excited to announce that CIE has expanded! Just a few doors down from the main CIE office is our new team retreat space so you can advance your next innovative idea!

The Retreat, which is located at Suite 803B, is a private suite complete with a large entry and conference room, two small offices, whiteboards, presentation screen, and a kitchenette. It is an ideal setting for staff retreats, team meetings, or community programs. It can accommodate 20-25 people.

The Retreat can be rented by community organizations, businesses, and UNCW departments at the same rates and structure as our Event Space. For more information, please visit our website.

We are pleased to unveil a suite of new perks for CIE office tenants and coworkers, designed to enhance your focus as an entrepreneur.

UNCW Dining Options - With flexible meal plans, you can use dining hall swipes and food dollars at various venues across campus. Payments are loaded onto your One Card and Meal plans never expire.
UNCW Maker Services - A range of services to foster creativity and innovation are available through the UNCW Library. Examples include Studio Reservations, Makerstudio Badging, and 3D Printing Services.

For a full list of benefits and information about tenancy, please visit our website.

Bonus info: In addition to our flexible lease agreements, CIE now offers day passes.🤩

Apply Now! Idea Test Lab💡

Idea Test Lab is a cohort-based, 4-week program designed to create an inclusive pipeline of high-growth entrepreneurs and startups in Southeastern North Carolina and to build resilience in founders. These two cohorts in early 2025 will include a Women in Tech/Female Founders cohort, as well as a Bluetech/Climate-tech focused cohort. Women in Tech/Female Founder applications are due February 28, 2025, and BlueTech/ClimateTech applications are due April 25, 2025.

Qualifications

Early-stage (ideation stage) company
High impact technology
Relevant to cohort technology sector
Able to attend the 4 sessions and the Pitch Day

Time Commitment

Four weeks - One 3-hour session per week for four weeks, followed by a Demo Day (will be held at the of the fourth week).

Women in Tech & Female Founders - Cohort runs March through April 2025

Bluetech & ClimateTech - Cohort runs May through June 2025

SBTDC's Investor-Ready Entrepreneurship Program

Are you an Investor-Ready Entrepreneur?

Wednesday, March 4 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

When it comes to working with investors, new entrepreneurs are at a disadvantage: They often have misconceptions about the process, do not understand the concept of stage-appropriate capital, and do not understand investor expectations.

The Investor-Ready Entrepreneur program levels the playing field, educating and preparing growth-oriented entrepreneurs to successfully engage private equity investors.

The program, developed by experienced entrepreneurs, angel investors, angel network/fund executives, and venture capitalists, provides an “insider’s look” into the world of equity funding. You will hear directly from an investor panel and learn to view investors as “customers of equity.”

EcoInnovate Weekend

Friday-Sunday, March 28-30

CIE's EcoInnovate Weekend is our second installment of Startup Weekend, a high-energy, weekend-long event that provides attendees opportunities to engage with like-minded individuals and potentially start something GREAT. It's a dynamic and immersive experience that fosters creativity, teamwork, and innovation in a short timeframe.

You're invited to hear from workshop speakers such as Leigh Rubin, a Cartoonist-in-Residence! Additional speakers and schedule coming soon. Students can register for free using the code "student" and CIE members, please contact Lydia Thomas at bjorklundl@uncw.edu for your code.

8. Calendar Quick View

Now–Submit your nominations for the 2025 Coastal Entrepreneur Awards by March 3rd!

Now through Apr 25–Applications accepted | CIE Idea Test Lab (Blue Tech/Climate Tech cohorts) - https://uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/events-programs/programs/idea

1 Million Cups Wilmington every Wednesday at 9 a.m. at CIE

https://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/eventDetails?eventID=229

Mar 3 | Scott Moody Monday Office Hours - Sign up here

Mar 4 9:00 - 4:00 p.m. | SBTDC Investor Ready Entrepreneur @CIE - https://sbtdc.org/events/investor-ready-entrepreneur-wilmington-2025

Mar 5 | Welcome Wednesday

Mar 5 3:00-4:15 p.m. | NC TECH STIR Briefing @CIE - https://www.nctech.org/events/event/2025/stir-briefing.html

Mar 6 | Export University by SBTDC @CIE

Mar 11 | Alliance for the Blue Economy Meeting

Mar 11-19 | SBTDC Taking the Leap at CFCC

Mar 17 | Scott Moody Monday Office Hours - Sign up here

Mar 18 8:30-10:00 a.m. | The Legal Toolkit for Entrepreneurs: Breakdown of Business Law Seminar Series - https://www.poynerspruill.com/events/the-legal-toolkit-for-entrepreneurs-breakdown-of-business-law-seminar-series/

Mar 18 1-3 p.m. | CIE Mentor Meeting

Mar 18-19 | Business Week, UNCW Cameron School of Business

Mar 25-27 | CED Venture Connect, Raleigh - https://cednc.org/venture-connect/

Mar 27 1 p.m. | Think Like a Cartoonist Workshop, register here

Mar 27-29 | NC Aquaculture Development Conference, Morehead City

Mar 28-30 | EcoInnovate Weekend for Startups @ CIE - https://uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/events-programs/programs/startup-weekend

Apr 1 | Alliance for the Blue Economy Meeting

Apr 2 | Welcome Wednesday

Apr 9 | Idea Test Lab, Women in Tech Demo Day

Apr 15 | CIE Mentor Meeting

May 1-2 | Dig South Tech Summit, Charleston

May 12-13 | 12:00-4:30pm each day | Innovate and Elevate: A workshop for UNCW Faculty, Researchers, and Graduate Students

May 13 8:30-10:00 a.m. | Poyner Spruill Business Law Series

May 20 | CIE Mentor Meeting

May 22-29 | SBTDC Taking the Leap at CIE

1. Honoring Innovators and Job Creators: Coastal Entrepreneur Awards

2. Celebrating Rising Stars

3. Celebrating Five Years of Innovation: 1MC Wilmington Milestone Anniversary

4. "CIEHawks"

5. Explore the CIE Retreat for Your Meeting or Event

8. Calendar Quick View

10. Parting Thought