Insights

Research Triangle Park, NC, September 5, 2024 – The Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED), a regional entrepreneurial support organization, is proud to announce the selection of 12 outstanding founders and operators who will receive scholarships to attend the prestigious Business of Software (BoS) Conference, scheduled from September 23rd to 25th in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. This initiative reflects CED’s unwavering commitment to nurturing entrepreneurship and supporting the growth of SaaS startups in North Carolina. 

For the past 18 years, BoS has brought together the brightest minds in the software industry. Having previously been held in Silicon Valley and Boston, the conference’s relocation to Raleigh in 2023 underscored the Research Triangle’s emergence as a thriving tech hub. Last year’s conference offered attendees engaging workshops focused on business growth, and the 2024 agenda promises to deliver the same high-caliber content and speakers. 

Reflecting on the impact of the conference, Jon Sternstein, Founder & CEO of Cybersecurity startup SternSecurity and a previous scholarship recipient, shared, “Growing a successful business is incredibly difficult, stressful, exciting, lonely, and rewarding.  Over the years, I have had so many questions about product pricing, customer acquisition, payroll, finance, strategy, product development, venture capital, customer success, partnerships, and more. Creating a successful company takes a village and the combination of an awesome CED team and the BoS conference are parts of my village.”

Kelly Rowell, CEO of CED, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “The Business of Software Conference and CED share a common belief: that founders thrive when they support one another. Both organizations are dedicated to creating environments where this collaborative spirit can grow. Our goal is to empower founders to learn from each other’s experiences and build strong, lasting networks that drive their success.”

The selected scholarship recipients for the BoS Conference in 2024 are:

• Shane Parreco, Founder & CEO – Aktiga
• Dan Moore, Founder – Tarka
• Aviva Rosman , Co-Founder & COO – BallotReady
• Taylor Coil, Co-Founder – Fashivly
• Will Bowen, Co-Founder & CEO – Givebacks
• DeShawn Brown, Founder & CEO – Coworks
• Adrian Rodriguez, Founder – SnapPicFix
• Brandon Kashani, Founder & CEO – TRAKID
• Paul Rava, Co-Founder & CEO – Roboro
• Ryan O’Donnell, Co-Founder & CEO – Sunlight
• Michael Vardzel, CEO – AithELITE
• Mike Schneider, Co-Founder & CEO – Acre

Special Registration Offer:

CED encourages all entrepreneurs and business leaders interested in attending the Business of Software Conference to take advantage of a special friends and family rate. Use coupon code “CEDBoS24” when registering to access this exclusive offer. This is a unique opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and unlock the potential for growth and success in the software industry. Register now to secure your spot! 

About CED (Council for Entrepreneurial Development)

The Council for Entrepreneurial Development was formed in 1984 by a group of business leaders wanting to empower the successful creation and growth of entrepreneurial companies in the North Carolina region. CED acts as the connective center for all of this to happen. Through high-touch support, education, access to capital, and crucial connections, CED brings entrepreneurs together with the optimal resources needed to turn a new company into a success story. For more information go to www.cednc.org.

About Business of Software Conference

Business of Software Conference runs conferences and events in the USA, Europe and across the world to help attendees build great software and great software companies. Established for 16 years, it has built a reputation for being the place where great entrepreneurs learn how great companies are run and has developed an active community of entrepreneurs across the world who want to help and learn from each other to build great products and great companies.

For more information about the Business of Software Conference please visit www.businessofsoftware.org

Media should contact Kelly Rowell for more information: krowell@cednc.org