Wilmington Innovation Forum

Wilmington Innovation Forum: a monthly, one-hour program spotlighting the ideas, expertise, and research shaping our region’s future. Wilmington Innovation Forum will take place on the first Thursday of every month.

Each session features a UNCW faculty member or community expert sharing a 35–40-minute talk on their area of expertise, whether in technology, science, business, or other fields, followed by a 20-minute interactive Q&A. At its core, the forum is about knowledge sharing and collaborative learning. It’s an opportunity to explore new ideas, gain fresh insights, and connect university and community partners in meaningful conversations that drive innovation and growth.

Upcoming Sessions:

April Wilmington Innovation Forum

Thursday, April 2 | noon - 1:00 p.m.

This session, learn about:

The bookkeeping mistakes that most often create financial confusion
How recording errors can distort your financial statements and mislead you about profitability
Tools and habits to maintain accurate and reliable financial records
Warning signs of internal fraud in businesses
Simple fraud prevention steps every small business should implement

Speaker: Dr.Jessica Kane

Who: Entrepreneurs, UNCW faculty, staff, and students

Where: UNCW CIE

Cost: Free for CIE members, tenants, mentors, and cowor

kers, and UNCW staff and faculty. $5.00 for non CIE members.

April Registration Below:

May Wilmington Innovation Forum: The High-Tech Roadmap: Winning SBIRs and Scaling Faculty Spinouts

Thursday, May 7 | noon - 1:00 p.m.

This session, join Jennifer McCall, UNCW Associate Professor of the Clinical Research Program at the School of Nursing and cofounder of SeaTox Research as she outlines the strategic path from academic research to a funded startup. This session provides a tactical look at winning SBIRs, the critical importance of technical de-risking, and how to navigate the 'translational friction' of building a high-tech venture without losing focus on the science.

Speaker: Dr. Jennifer McCall

Jen McCall is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Research Program at the School of Nursing and also the co-founder and CSO of the spin-out SeaTox Research. Her work focuses on the interface of marine/environmental science and product development to translate scientific innovations into useful products and medicines for the public. Her research includes investigating the inflammatory effects of environmental contaminates and toxins (like PFAS or marine toxins) on the immune system, as well as development of new therapies that can be used to alter activation states of macrophages to reduce inflammation. In addition, she creates and develops biosensors and assays for marine toxins that contaminate commercially and culturally important seafood. She collaborates with multiple partners across academia, industry, and federal agencies, with the ultimate goal of improving access for user-friendly and inexpensive testing methods in remote areas.

Who: Entrepreneurs, UNCW faculty, staff, and students

Where: UNCW CIE

Cost: Free for CIE members, tenants, mentors, and coworkers, and UNCW staff and faculty. $5.00 for non CIE members.

May Registration Below: