CED - Center for Entrepreneurial Development

Opening Session | Dematerialization and Rematerialization
2026-03-24 08:30 - 09:45 (America/New_York) | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Venture Connect 2026 opens with a bold framing of the venture landscape amid sweeping technological and societal change. Robert Tercek, co-founder of The Futurists Network and Nura Studios AI, explores the defining force of the 21st century: dematerialization—the ongoing shift of physical products, infrastructure, and entire industries into software. For more than three decades, software has reshaped manufacturing, logistics, retail, media, telecommunications, transportation, banking, and finance.
Now, we are entering the next phase: rematerialization. Powered by artificial intelligence, computational biology, and synthetic biology, physical systems and resources can be redesigned and re-engineered into entirely new configurations. Machine intelligence is accelerating value creation, unlocking new business models, and challenging conventional assumptions about how companies are built and scaled. From AI-driven enterprises to programmable biology, these twin forces will redefine both software services and life sciences—reshaping the very foundation of venture investment.
Building on these opening insights, Tercek is joined on stage by Chloë Domergue, Principal and Practice Leader in Human Capital at Deloitte, for a forward-looking conversation about what future organizations will require to succeed. As technology transforms how value is created, fundamental questions emerge: How many people does a startup truly need? What roles will matter most? How will human capital strategies evolve in an era defined by intelligent systems? Together, they will explore how founders and investors must rethink talent, structure, and scale for the next generation of high-growth companies.

Sponsor Connection
2026-03-24 07:30 - 16:30 | DPAC Floor 2 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Spend time connecting with our Venture Connect sponsors! Visit their booths, learn about their work, and explore ways to collaborate and build meaningful relationships.

Partnering & Investor Meetings
2026-03-24 07:30 - 16:30 | DPAC Floor 3 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Looking to accelerate your business growth? Bookable meeting spaces are available for one-on-one conversations with investors, partners, and key ecosystem resources. Whether you’re seeking capital, strategic guidance, or industry connections, this is your chance to forge valuable relationships that drive your startup forward. Schedule your meetings and make every moment count!

Doors Open | Registration, Check-In & Breakfast
2026-03-24 07:30 - 08:30 | DPAC Floor 1 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Kick off your VC26 experience with registration and a light continental breakfast. Connect with fellow attendees over coffee, fuel up for an inspiring day ahead, and get ready to dive into the conversations that will shape the future of the Triangle’s innovation ecosystem. Doors open early—see you there!

Special thanks to our Breakfast Sponsor, Bilan Stribling at Edward Jones.

Pendominium
2026-03-24 - 2026-03-26 | Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E South St, Raleigh, NC, 27601, United States

Venture Connect 2026
2026-03-24 - 2026-03-25 | DPAC, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Join CED for Venture Connect 2026, the leading conference in the Southeast for scaling startups. Spotlight on: Next-Gen Hardware & Deep Tech, Software Innovation, Human Health: Biotech, Tools & Therapeutics, and Science for a Healthier Planet.

Kickoff Party
2026-03-23 17:00 - 19:00 | Bay 7, 324 Blackwell St #700, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Join us as we officially kick off Venture Connect 2026 with an evening designed to energize, connect, and celebrate the entrepreneurial community.
Thank you to our sponsors Baker Donelson and Xyzagen for this event!

How do you get your invite? By purchasing your Venture Connect ticket! Register Here.

RevUp Capital & Capacity Capital's Founder & Investor Happy Hour
2026-03-23 16:00 - 18:00 | The Velvet Hippo Bar & Lounge, 119 Orange St 3rd Floor, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
​Join Pilot, Melissa Withers of RevUp Capital, and Jonathan Bragdon of Capacity Capital for a casual happy hour bringing together founders and investors in town for Venture Connect.
Please note RSVP is required: https://luma.com/tyonl1ib

Strength in Numbers Mixer (RSVP Required)
2026-03-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Pine and Poplar, 307 S Roxboro St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
We’re excited to see our Strength in Numbers members at Venture Connect! We’ll be kicking off the summit with an invite-only Strength in Numbers Mixer on Monday, March 23th, the afternoon before Venture Connect begins. The private gathering is your chance to build connections with fellow female-identifying founders, operators, investors, and key ecosystem partners in a more intimate setting before the rest of the conference.
A special thank you to our Impact Investors – 4LV and Hutchison PLLC.

Our Event Sponsors – Customers Bank, Pappas Capital, and RSM US

How do you get your invite? By purchasing your Venture Connect ticket! Register Here.

Transform
2026-03-23 - 2026-03-25 | NC

All Things AI
2026-03-23 - 2026-03-24 | The Carolina Theatre, 309 W Morgan St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States

FFVC March Madness Open House
2026-03-19 08:00 - 17:00 | NC

Future Food-Tech
2026-03-19 - 2026-03-20 | NC

GCVI Summit
2026-03-17 - 2026-03-19 | NC

LSI USA
2026-03-16 - 2026-03-20 | NC

Instant Payment Summit Global Series 2026
2026-03-16 - 2026-03-17 | NC

Strength in Numbers x LiLa: Building Confidence for Conference Season
2026-03-12 16:30 - 18:30 | Frontier RTP – 800 Building, 800 Park Offices Drive, Durham, NC, 27713, United States
Whether you’re planning to attend Venture Connect or simply looking to sharpen how you show up at industry events this year, this session is for you.
Brought to you by LiLa and Strength in Numbers, we’ll kick off with a candid, moderated conversation featuring experienced leaders across venture and biotech who know how to navigate high-energy conference environments strategically. Expect practical insight on:

Preparing before you step onsite
Making meaningful connections in the moment
Following up in ways that build momentum

We’ll then transition into a tactical walkthrough with CED’s Katelin Wheeler and Elaina Bade to help you think strategically about your VC26 experience—from planning your schedule to mapping meetings and making the most of your time before you even arrive.

SXSW
2026-03-12 - 2026-03-18 | NC

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit
2026-03-11 - 2026-03-12 | NC

Smart Cities Connect
2026-03-10 - 2026-03-12 | NC

The Montgomery Summit
2026-03-10 - 2026-03-11 | NC

Startup Storytelling — powered by RDSW
2026-03-09 13:00 - 16:00 | NC

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week
2026-03-09 - 2026-03-14 | NC

Free Coworking Day at The Junction
2026-03-06 08:30 - 17:00 | Innovate Carolina, 136 E Rosemary St, Chapel Hill, NC, 17514, United States

First Friday at Raleigh Founded - North Street
2026-03-06 | Raleigh Founded – North Street, 509 W North St, Raleigh, 27603, United States

LiLa: Deal or No Deal? Evaluating the Pitch
2026-03-05 16:30 - 18:30 | Frontier RTP – 800 Building, 800 Park Offices Drive, Durham, NC, 27713, United States

Cowen & Co Health Care Conference
2026-03-02 - 2026-03-04 | NC

BIO Investment & Growth Summit
2026-03-02 - 2026-03-03 | NC

Quarterly FORGE Networking (Members Only)
2026-02-26 08:00 - 10:00 | NC
This quarterly gathering is exclusively for members of FORGE — a peer community of growth-stage founders and operators navigating the unique challenges of scaling a company.
You must be a FORGE member to attend. If you’re interested in learning more, visit our FORGE membership page: https://cednc.org/forge/
Please note: This was rescheduled from February 5th, due to the weather.

Florida Venture Forum
2026-02-23 - 2026-02-25 | NC
