Insights

As we head into the final weeks of 2025, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the hard work, creativity, and energy of our Startup Talent & Training Associates. Over the past 12 weeks, this cohort—drawn from Duke, NC Central, NC State, Meredith College, and UNC—has brought fresh perspectives, full-hearted dedication, and serious hustle to the CED community.

“Each semester, our Startup TNT Associates teach us as much as we teach them. Students bring curiosity, initiative, and fresh perspectives that help us improve the program every year. They also bring energy and life to the CED office—we truly love having them as part of the team.” — Elaina Bade, Customer Experience Lead

A Semester of Growth — for Us and for Them

From the very first day, our Associates stepped into real responsibility. Whether rotating through departments, working on investor relations, helping market CED’s programs, or supporting GRO Incubator startups directly, they rolled up their sleeves and added real value. 

This wasn’t just an internship or a line on a resume. It was hands-on exposure to the inner workings of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. They also connected with one another—bringing diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and ideas into shared work. That mix of creativity and sincerity is exactly the kind of energy we need in the Triangle.

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What Made This Cohort Special

1. Real-world exposure + cross-functional experience

Each Associate got to try on different hats: from business development and startup operations to marketing, investor relations, and incubator support. That breadth gave them a wide lens into how high-growth startups and ecosystem builders operate. 

2. Deepening university partnerships

We’re grateful to be working with many universities across the Triangle—Duke, NC Central, NC State, Meredith, and UNC. Their support helps bring exceptional young people into the startup world and strengthens the ties between higher ed and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. 

3. Building a talent pipeline for the Triangle

This program is more than a temporary role: it’s part of CED’s strategy to develop and retain early talent in the region. We believe in building a pipeline of driven, capable students who might go on to found, build, or join startups here. 

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Highlights from the Cohort

Here are some standout moments and takeaways.

Casey, Rotational — “One of the most impactful parts of my Associate experience was realizing just how powerful genuine relationships are in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Meeting founders, investors, and mentors who were willing to share honest insights showed me that networking isn’t just about exchanging contacts, but about building trust and long-term support. That sense of community and collaboration really stayed with me.”

Owen, Rotational — “My favorite project was working to create a Kajabi onboarding course for new CED members. In order to build out the content of the course, we really were able to explore all the events and resources CED offers! It was a lot of fun searching through CED websites, social media, talking to team members, and even attending events like the Investor Fly-in to get a better sense of how CED supports its members.”

Anushay, Rotational — “Something that I didn’t expect to learn is the different terms involved in the startup world. When it comes to Business Development, I didn’t realize all the work that goes into it to aid in other companies’ success. It was also a great way for me to learn how to effectively prospect clients which is useful for the career path I want to go down.”

Yug, Finance & Investor Relations — “My favorite project this semester is building an AI chatbot for CED, and I’ll be continuing it in January. It stands out to me because it pushes me into something completely new, and I enjoy figuring things out as I go. I’m excited to keep talking to founders to understand what they actually need. It also feels meaningful because it isn’t just a class assignment. It’s something that can genuinely help CED’s workflow and make things easier for founders, which makes the project memorable for me.”

Katie, GRO Incubator — “Demo Day was super impactful for me. After hearing details about each of the GRO10 companies for the entire semester, it was fascinating to see how the founders were able to convey all of their key information for a general audience in just 5 minutes and really sell their companies.”

Vonna, Marketing — “My favorite project this semester was working on the investor fly-in recap. Over the two-day event, I had the opportunity to capture moments from the dinner and behind-the-scenes activities. What made this project stand out for me was not only documenting these moments but also being challenged to act as a storyteller for people who weren’t able to attend. I had to innovate with my graphics and video editing, learning a new software along the way, which pushed me to think creatively and problem-solve in real time. It was both challenging and rewarding, and it really helped me grow as a storyteller and a creative professional.”

Ana Lucia, GRO Incubator — “I was struck by how collaborative the Raleigh-Durham entrepreneurial community is. Within the GRO incubator, founders didn’t just focus on their own ventures—they actively supported each other through introductions, pitch feedback, and shared insights. Entrepreneurship is often portrayed as an isolated journey, but what I observed was the opposite. This network approach showed me that startups are significantly stronger when founders leverage community support rather than attempting to navigate challenges alone.”

Nikhil, Rotational — “During my CONNECT rotation, I got to learn about sponsor prospecting for Venture Connect 2026, which was an entirely new process to me. Much of what I’ve learned about fundraising has been in the context of for-profit ventures, so it was really interesting to learn about it from the nonprofit end!”

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Reflections from the Team

We asked our staff and mentors what stood out this semester. A few themes kept coming up: curiosity, agency, and drive.

Many Associates proactively pitched in, offered ideas, and took ownership of projects. Their feedback often came with fresh viewpoints—reminding us how valuable outside perspectives are in shaping programs. Even in busy weeks, their commitment was real: meeting deadlines, asking smart questions, and staying engaged.

Beyond their day-to-day contributions, Associates really leaned into the full CED experience: 

• Attending and engaging at events – flexing their networking skills, and sometimes even taking a leadership role like at Demo Day.
• Joining field trips – immersing themselves in real-world startup and investor environments, with the VQ Biomedical field trip standing out as a favorite.

We’re proud of how Associates brought creativity and energy to everything they did this semester.

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What’s Next — and How to Stay Involved

While this semester is wrapping up, for some Associates, the journey is just beginning. A couple are continuing into Spring 2026 as part of our yearlong pilot, extending their roles and deepening their impact.

We’ve opened up applications for select Spring 2026 roles for new Associates who want to join this hands-on program. Interested students can apply here to be considered.

Students can also fill out our Fall 2026 interest form to stay on our radar for next year’s cohort.

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Thank You, Associates

To Anushay, Casey, Ana Lucia, Owen, Katie, Nikhil, Vonna, and Yug: thank you. Your energy, work, and perspective have made a lasting mark on CED and the Triangle ecosystem. You’re building your paths — and helping to build ours too.

Here’s to growth, connection, and what comes next.

— The CED Team

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For any questions or inquiries about our Startup TNT Program, you may contact Elaina Bade at ebade@cednc.org