Driving Growth, Fueling Innovation in North Carolina
CED companies outperform their non-CED peers. In 2025, we learned that they raise 4.8x more capital, complete 3.6x more funding rounds, and have a 2.1x higher Dealroom signal. Our interdependent ecosystem of startups, investors and supportive community partners is bringing visionary ideas to life across North Carolina…
Impact Report
We’re changing the trajectory of the startup ecosystem in North Carolina, making it one of the best places to build a high-growth company in the US. Read more about what we accomplished and our next investments in this latest report.
747
STARTUPS SUPPORTED
47%
led by women or bipoc leaders
1M+
connections made
Abha Bowers
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Alex Bloom
Chief Executive Officer
Elaina Bade
Customer Experience Lead
Jay Bigelow
Head of Founder Engagement
JP Maloney
Startup Programs Lead
Katelin Wheeler
Head of Marketing
Preet Mankad
Startup Programs Lead
OUR
TEAM
Meet the dynamic team serving North Carolina’s innovation economy. Get to know our people here.
OUR BOARD
Meet the dedicated founders, operators, investors, and business community members who champion our work and make us stronger.
Silivia Agguire
Tax CSA | Founder
Neil Bagchi
Bagchi Law | Managing Attorney
Ryan Bethencourt
Wild Earth | CEO
Greggory Bordes
Front Porch Venture Partners | Managing Partner
Scott Bryant
Hutchison Law | Managing Partner
Toni Bucci
Sable Fermentation | Founder
Shila Burney
Zane Venture Fund | Managing Partner
Susan Cook
DAS42 | CEO
Matthew Cooke
Davis Moore | Partner
Barb Coury
NCSSM | Vice Chancellor
Michael Crooke
Wells Fargo | Executive Director
Michelle Egger
XFactor Ventures | Investment Partner
Doug Eisner
Catalyst Research Alliance | CEO
Anne English
Wordclass Clothing | COO
Tim Fleischman
Deliotte | Audit Managing Partner
Wade Fulgrum
NC Innovation | VP Grants & Tech Commercialization
Alex Gray
Grey Ventures | VP
Lilyn Hester
Google | Head of SE External Affairs
Mariliis Holm
Sustainable Food Ventures | Founding Partner
Elizabeth Kelly
Pappas Capital | Managing Partner
Jackie Mancini
CVS Health | VP Trade Strategy and Operations
Tim McLoughlin
Cofounders Capital | Managing Partner
Travis Milks
Topmark Partners | Managing Partner
Kevin Mosley
Jurassic Capital | General Partner
Brett Noel
RA Capital | Sr. Associate
Sonna Patel-Raman
Third Floor Consulting | Founder
Annalise Perry
Wyrick Robbins | Partner
Carlos Pignataro
Blue Fern Consulting | Principal
Karl Rectanus
Impact 4 Scale | Founder
Galen Robertson
VQ Biomedical | CEO
Bill Spruill
2NDF | First Speaker
Mahati Sridhar
Revolution | Principal
Scott Uknes
AgBiome | Founder
Susan Wall
Corevist | COO
Megann Watters
Labcorp | VP, New Ventures
Blair Willette
KdT Ventures | Associate
