Jul 1615 likes✨🎤 FOUNDER, RALEIGH NATIVE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR @jess_ekstrom is our next Strength in Numbers speaker!!!✨🎤 Jess is joining us for our Strength in Numbers Fall event @junctionwestnc. She will be kicking off with a keynote followed by breakout sessions, time for networking, and a book signing of her latest 📕 Making It Without Losing It, included in your ticket purchase. We’ve got a limited number of tickets available, get yours today! We sold out last year with @alisonfragale and we’re so glad to bring another likeable badass into the CED community.Latest
Jul 1615 likes✨🎤 FOUNDER, RALEIGH NATIVE, BEST SELLING AUTHOR @jess_ekstrom is our next Strength in Numbers speaker!!!✨🎤 Jess is joining us for our Strength in Numbers Fall event @junctionwestnc. She will be kicking off with a keynote followed by breakout sessions, time for networking, and a book signing of her latest 📕 Making It Without Losing It, included in your ticket purchase. We’ve got a limited number of tickets available, get yours today! We sold out last year with @alisonfragale and we’re so glad to bring another likeable badass into the CED community.
GRO IncubatorA 12-week intensive incubator program, tailored for early stage Tech and Biotech startups seeking to fast-track their growth.
Strength in NumbersOur program where female-identifying members of the innovation ecosystem gather to connect, collaborate, and support each other.
- Workshops
Hands-on, interactive working sessions that give founders core education across the startup lifecycle, led by experienced practitioners.
- Founders-in-Residence
A program which embeds experienced entrepreneurs inside the ecosystem to mentor the next generation of founders
- Startup TNT
CED’s student pipeline connecting university talent to Triangle startups
Announcing the Fall 2026 Startup TNT Associate Cohort!3 min read · Sep 14
Breaking Barriers for Founders: Wells Fargo Invests $20,000 in NC Entrepreneurs Through CED’s FORGE Program2 min read · Jul 15- A New Era of Growth for the Triangle Startup Ecosystem, CED Releases 2025 Impact Report2 min read · Jun 4
GRO Is Back and Better Than Ever: Meet the 11th Cohort5 min read · Mar 31
Meet the VC26 Company Lineup32 min read · Feb 24
A Year of Sectoral Transformation: North Carolina’s 2025 Venture Report by CED3 min read · Feb 23
Inspiring Innovators, Elevating North Carolina Emerging Businesses: CED receives $100,000 Regions Foundation grant benefiting GRO Incubator3 min read · Jan 28- Announcing the Fall 2025 Startup TNT Associate Cohort!3 min read · Jan 27
What Seed Looks Like Now: Notes from Carta’s “State of Seed”2 min read · Jan 5
Startup TNT - Wrapping Up an Incredible Semester with Our Associates6 min read · Dec 1, 2025
About
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
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.
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