Southern Innovation: The South’s Best Metros for Tech Workers in 2026
March 22, 2026
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Connecting entrepreneurs to investors, mentors, and resources to grow innovative companies and a stronger coastal economy.
NEW exists to turn Wilmington into a place where startups don’t just start—but stay, scale, and succeed. We bring founders, capital, mentors, and opportunity into one connected ecosystem designed to move ideas forward faster.
Monthly events connect founders investors and leaders sharing insights lessons and strategies that accelerate growth.
One-to-one mentorship pairs founders with experienced operators providing clarity confidence and direction during critical decisions.
We prepare startups for funding by strengthening pitches aligning expectations and exploring diverse capital pathways.
Practical workshops equip founders with skills knowledge and tools needed to navigate early-stage business challenges.
We facilitate meaningful introductions between startups investors and strategic partners to unlock growth opportunities.
We connect Wilmington startups to statewide national resources accelerators and partners unlocking scale and opportunity.
The Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW) is a nurturing organization for Wilmington NC startups to connect entrepreneurs to resources so they can innovate , grow and create jobs at the coast .
With local momentum in the startup ecosystem, I have established a new entrepreneur support organization to connect the earliest of startups with the resources needed from across the region and the state. I hope NEW is the organization that achieves long term success to make Wilmington a premier locale in North Carolina to grow a startup.
From deep-dive funding discussions to founder roundtables, NEW events focus on practical insights that help startups move forward faster.
Exploring Family Offices, Venture Philanthropy, and new funding trends.
Before we get started, we have a new event series to announce starting on May 28th
This is a new series of quarterly events, the Wilmington AI Roundtable.
Serial entrepreneur Matt Cimino, a UNCW grad approached me with the idea after our April 30th event.
Matt is now a new annual sponsor of NEW with his new Venture Studio called Amped Ventures.
Here are the details about the May 28th event to be hosted at the new Synply HQ in the Skyline Center downtown on the 7th floor with glorious downtown and river views. (The OLD PPD building.)
Register here as we have limited space and is already half full.
Our 2nd biggest annual sponsor is Richard Stroupe of Cape Fear Ventures.
(And thank you Mr. Stephen Perry of Kymanox too as our lead sponsor.)
So let’s be transparent about that sponsorship relationship in FULL DISCLOSURE.
(He did not ask us to post this information about ELEVATE today.)
You may remember Mr. Stroupe invested in Ohanafy Software. (This is the article that started this relationship.)
And
He has invested in SkillMaker.Ai.
And he has doubled down on both of those investments.
And because of that commitment, he has been able to attract more North Carolina investors to invest in these companies at the coast.
So in the land of the desert, it is very nice to have some fresh water. He is what is called a SUPER Angel investor.
Richard has a new episode of his podcast with new local entrepreneur Tully Ryan of IQ Exit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hTfo685LEg
Again, the number one request for my time for meetings is about local entrepreneurs who want to raise investor capital. And it is not even close.
Here is your opportunity.
Mr. Stroupe is hosting his 4th ELEVATE CEO RETREAT on June 1-4 in TopSail Island.
He goes DEEP on how to run a scaling startup. And there is some fun too.
Think of the ELEVATE Retreat for an entrepreneur like a high school football player going to a three day summer training camp at a prestigious university hoping to impress the coach into giving a full scholarship. Whether you receive the scholarship or not, you would be better for participating in the camp.
We have to find a way to fill in the knowledge gaps of local entrepreneurs that are preventing success at a bigger level. And it seems our entrepreneurs will ONLY listen to successful entrepreneurs and active investors.
Well Mr. Stroupe is BOTH. He has started multiple companies and had multiple successful exits. And now he is investing that money.
No, the ELEVATE CEO Retreat is NOT FREE. But the charge is simply to cover costs, not to make a profit.
When are you going to invest in yourself? It is expensive to chase capital the wrong way.
Investors HAVE to put their funds to work. But they choose to work with entrepreneurs with their shit together.
– Do you have your board of directors set?
– Have you talked to prospective clients to KNOW if they are interested in your product? (Will anyone buy your product besides your friends and family?) Is this more than a hobby?
– Do you have a C corp with a competent business lawyer, not cousin Vinnie the real estate guy?
– How are you paying your employees?
– Do you have an organized Data Room for business documents?
Learn more and sign up here for June 1-4 – https://capefear.vc/elevate/
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If you add Mr. Stroupe’s investments with the multiple investments since February 19th by the new NC TWEENER Fund powered by NC IDEA, things are looking up !!!
Add in the NC INNOVATION investments into UNCW labs
And Canapi Ventures as the largest fund in the South
And Cofounders Capital involvement at the coast
And IDEA FUND Partners making their first investment at the coast
And the upcoming Wilmington INVESTOR BUZZ IN on September 10th
And the NC IDEA Ecosystem Summit in November
And shhhhhhhtufff gets pretty exciting.
NEW helps founders understand and access multiple funding paths, including:
We help entrepreneurs become investable, not just pitch-ready.
NEW’s 9-week Precelerator Program is designed for early-stage startups using the Lean Business Model Canvas framework.
NEW is built on years of experience connecting startups with investors, mentors, and statewide innovation organizations.
Jim’s work has helped Wilmington startups gain exposure, win awards, and secure funding opportunities across North Carolina.
Founder
Connect with NEW to explore partnerships guidance or involvement opportunities and help strengthen Wilmington’s growing startup ecosystem together.
Sponsors play a critical role in building a stronger local economy. By supporting NEW, partners help create jobs, foster innovation, and elevate Wilmington’s startup ecosystem.
For over a decade, NEW has strengthened Wilmington’s startup ecosystem by connecting founders with resources relationships and opportunities.
Whether you’re a founder, investor, mentor, or community supporter, NEW invites you to be part of a growing innovation economy built right here on the coast.