WRAL TechWire keeps tabs on the latest and greatest meetups, panels, workshops, conferences, application deadlines and all things happening in the North Carolina startup/tech world.
“The Headliners” is a multi-part weekly roundup of upcoming events to add to your calendar. To find out what’s happening this month in cities outside of the Triangle, check out part two of the “Headliners” column. We’ve also put together an exclusive roundup of economic forecast events in January, as well as a list of upcoming deadlines for startup-focused programs in North Carolina.
Another post highlights events in February. Meetups that occur regularly are listed here.
If you’d like your event to be included, feel free to send me an email.
Check out a full range of events on TechWire’s interactive calendar for more, along with our comprehensive resource guide for startups in the Triangle.
Here’s our lineup of Triangle events through the end of January:
Cary Chamber 101
January 14, 12-1 p.m. @Cary Chamber
Learn about Cary Chamber of Commerce’s network and membership offerings at this lunch and learn. Lunch will be provided.
Easy Deep Learning Text Classification with gobbli
January 14, 5:30-8 p.m. @LifeOmic
The Triangle Computer Vision & Natural Language Processing Meetup is hosting a talk all about gobbli, a new open-source Python library developed by RTI International data scientists Jason Nance and Peter Baumgartner.
Pints & Pitches Chapel Hill
January 14, 6-7:30 p.m. @The Pit Chapel Hill
Join Chapel Hill Economic Development for appetizers and networking with local entrepreneurs, startup teams, freelancers and professionals. Attendees can pitch their business ideas. More coverage here.
Code for Chapel Hill
January 14, 6-8 p.m. @Town of Chapel Hill
Join the Code for Chapel Hill meetup to network with like-minded individuals and work on civic hacking projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.
Application Deadline: 2020 UNC Health Innovation Pilot Awards
January 14
UNC’s Center for Health Innovation is offering internal pilot funding to UNC Health Care and UNC School of Medicine employees for innovative technologies serving care delivery models and pathways, workforce development, translational research and other applications.
1 Million Cups RTP
January 15, 9-10 a.m. @American Underground (@Blackwell)
1 Million Cups, presented by Kauffman, is a weekly informal pitch event for the startup community. Join for free coffee and entrepreneurial support as local startups deliver their presentations.
Triangle Clean Cities: Renewable Natural Gas Workshop
January 15, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. @Wake Tech RTP Campus
This Triangle Clean Cities Coalition workshop will cover renewable natural gas and its applications in North Carolina. Lunch will be provided.
Lunch & Learn: IP Strategies for Small Businesses
January 15, 12-1 p.m. @HQ Raleigh
At this lunch and learn, Michael Steel and Igor Ozeruga of Tarolli will discuss how small businesses and startups can partner with a law firm on IP matters.
Map the System Global Challenge Info Session @UNC
January 15, 12:15-1:15 p.m. @Graham Memorial
Join Social Innovation @ UNC for an information session about Map the System, a global competition culminating in a pitch event at Oxford University.
Digital Health Happy Hour: Raleigh
January 15, 5-7 p.m. @HQ Raleigh
Join DHIT’s free monthly networking event to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, investors and community members who are shaping the Triangle’s digital health space.
Southeast Raleigh Rotary Club Information Session
January 15, 6:30 p.m. @Saint Augustine’s University Library
Local leaders are planning to start a Rotary Club in Southeast Raleigh. Join this information session (one of three held in January) to learn more about the Rotary Club, how it can help the community and how you can get involved.
Application Deadline: NC Entrepreneur Corps Challenge
January 15
In this work-based learning program, NC-based community college and university students will work with mentors from the Governor’s Entrepreneurship Council and NCDIT to develop an innovative concept, get customer feedback and create a product to improve services for citizens across the state. The program runs in the spring 2020 semester (February to April). More TechWire coverage here.
Application Deadline: 2020 FAST Cohort
January 15
First Flight Venture Center’s first FAST cohort will include up to 30 science-focused companies who will receive an extensive grant-readiness evaluation bootcamp in February 2020, as well as expert coaching and mentoring on developing a competitive SBIR/STTR phase 1 application.
Application Deadline: Rural Economic Development Institute
January 15
The North Carolina Rural Center is currently welcoming applications for its 2020 Rural Economic Development Institute (REDI) program, held March 17-19, April 21-23 and May 19-21. REDI helps participants enhance their leadership skills and rural development strategies for their communities.
FREEDM Systems Center Basic & Advanced Microgrids Short Course
January 15-17 @PowerAmerica
NC State faculty and industry representatives will lead a course equipping engineering professionals, program managers, system integrators and utility engineers with essential knowledge about basic and advanced microgrids.
NC SBTDC’s Becoming an Investor-Ready Entrepreneur (Danville, VA)
January 16, 8:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. @RCATT Regional Center for Advanced Technology & Training
In this full-day educational event, hosted by The Launch Place, entrepreneurs will learn how the investment process works and find out what investors are looking for. These insights will help participants prepare for raising capital with an insider’s perspective in mind.
Cary Chamber Business of Women
January 16, 12-1:15 p.m. @Prestonwood Country Club
Cary Chamber invites you to join Brooke Burns, a professional business and personal coach, for a workshop on selecting a “guiding word” to take into 2020.
Cary Chamber Business After Hours
January 16, 5-7 p.m. @Brixx Wood Fired Pizza
Join Cary Chamber of Commerce for an after-work networking event at Brixx Wood Fired Pizza in Cary. Appetizers and beverages provided.
RTP180: Wellness
January 16, 5-7:30 p.m. @The Frontier
RTP180 is starting off 2020 by bringing in five experts to provide different takes on wellness, and how you can best incorporate it into your life.
Bunker Connect Raleigh-Durham: A Community of Resources
January 16, 5:30-7:30 p.m. @Loading Dock Raleigh
Bunker Labs Raleigh-Durham is introducing Bunker Connect, a Bunker Labs and Schultz Family Foundation initiative, to promote personal and professional development in the local military community. More TechWire coverage here.
Triangle Tech Net
January 17, 7-10 a.m. @Family Legacy Financial Solutions
This free bimonthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.
Raleigh Chamber Coffee with Leaders
January 17, 7:30-9 a.m. @Raleigh Chamber
Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s “Coffee with Leaders” series features local business leaders sharing their experiences and support of the small business community.
State of Mobility 2020: RTA 18th Annual Meeting
January 17, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. @Embassy Suites Raleigh-Durham/Research Triangle
The Regional Transportation Alliance’s 18th annual meeting features the latest transportation trends and insights, and talks on the opportunities and challenges impacting the Triangle in the next year.
Southeast Raleigh Rotary Club Information Session
January 17, 12 p.m. @Loading Dock (Prince Hall)
Local leaders are planning to start a Rotary Club in Southeast Raleigh. Join this information session (one of three held in January) to learn more about the Rotary Club, how it can help the community and how you can get involved.
Application Deadline: NC IDEA Internship Program for Under-Represented Student Entrepreneurs
January 17
In summer 2020, NC IDEA will be offering a paid internship for under-represented students. The goal of the program is to create a more diverse group of future entrepreneurs in North Carolina.
Application Deadline: Carolina Challenge Makeathon
January 19
Makers and innovators are invited to apply to UNC’s Carolina Challenge Makeathon, which runs from January 26 to February 9. Participants will attend several workshops and mentor meetings, all culminating in a final pitch competition with $11,000 in prizes up for grabs.
IdeaFest Pitch Competition Applications Open
January 20
At The Launch Place’s 7th annual IdeaFest on April 2, a group of 20 startups will get to present their pitches to a live audience and panel of judges, competing for a total of $10,000 in prizes. Pitch applications are due March 2.
Southeast Raleigh Rotary Club Information Session
January 21, 12 p.m. @Transfer Co Food Hall
Local leaders are planning to start a Rotary Club in Southeast Raleigh. Join this information session (one of three held in January) to learn more about the Rotary Club, how it can help the community and how you can get involved.
Code for Durham: Civic Hacking Session
January 21, 5:30-8:30 p.m. @Caktus Group
Code for Durham brings together technologists, designers, developers, data scientists, map makers and activists to collaborate on civic technology projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays. Pizza will be provided.
Spacewalk 2020 + The Pragmatic Programmer & Andy Hunt
January 21, 6-8 p.m. @Carolina Theater
During this special event, All Things Open will announce several new projects they’ve been working on for a while now, including a new direction for allthingsopen.org, and they’ll give attendees a quick overview 2020 plans.
Women in Technical Leadership
January 21-23 @Park Alumni Center
Join STEM professionals to explore the unique challenges women face while navigate growth and leadership tracks within traditionally male-dominated fields.
Cary Chamber Breakfast with the Mayor
January 22, 7:30-9 a.m. @Prestonwood Country Club
Join Cary Chamber of Commerce to hear Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht recap the previous year’s happenings and provide a look at upcoming plans for 2020.
Network Forum: Community-Engaged Innovation in Practice
January 22, 9-10:30 a.m. @Pleasants Room, Wilson Library
Innovate Carolina is hosting an event where UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff and students will share their own case studies and methods for designing innovative solutions for critical problems in the community. A light breakfast will be served.
NAWBO Raleigh Business Luncheon
January 22, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. @Sheraton Imperial Hotel RDU
The Raleigh chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is hosting a luncheon with Suzanne Evans, who will present a talk on decision-making and business success.
Lunch & Learn: PCB Antenna Considerations from Concept to Certification
January 22, 12-1 p.m. @HQ Raleigh
At this lunch and learn, Mike Barts and Shruthi Soora of the Wireless Research Center will go over the points to consider when designing a PCB antenna throughout the product design cycle from concept to certification.
Climate, Clean Energy & North Carolina
January 22, 6-8 p.m. @Burt’s Bees
Join E2, the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster, the NC Sustainable Energy Association and fellow business leaders for an evening of discussion on how climate change is impacting North Carolina’s economy.
Application Deadline: Duke Student Founders Program
January 22
Open to all Duke students, this program provides experiential education, mentoring, community, resources and even grants to individuals who are interested in creating a product or service, testing a pilot, and someday launching their own startup.
Raleigh Chamber Professional Women’s Luncheon
January 23, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. @Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley
This event features a panel of local female police chiefs, including Durham Police Chief C.J. Davis, Raleigh Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown and Fuquay-Varina Police Chief Laura Fahnestock. The speakers will discuss how they manage career growth with their families and the importance of being an example to other women.
Global Health Happy Hour
January 23, 5:30-7:30 p.m. @East Durham Bake Shop
This monthly event brings together global health leaders, professionals and advocates for an evening of networking in the Triangle. The event is free and open to the public.
Triangle Women in STEM 2020 Kickoff
January 23, 5:30-8:30 p.m. @Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC (Durham)
To kick off 2020, Triangle Women in STEM is hosting a night of networking, dining and insights from speaker Phaedra Biondiris.
2020 Startup Summit ‘New Year, New Entrepreneur You’ Kickoff Party
January 23, 6-8 p.m. @HQ Raleigh
Startup Summit is celebrating the new year with a talk from Julia Wuench, founder of The Authenticity Guide. The event also features brews from Fortnight Brewery and a raffle for a Startup Summit t-shirt and Purebuds Earphones.
Connect, Engage, Transform Conference
January 24, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. @UNC Friday Center
The CET Conference brings together stakeholders from UNC and North Carolina’s rural communities to encourage sustainable collaborations for the public good. The keynote speaker is Dorian Burton, assistant executive director for the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust.
NC IDEA Spring 2020 Grants Information Session (Webinar)
January 24, 3-4 p.m.
At this info session, NC IDEA Program Director Amy Bastian will share details on the upcoming spring 2020 grants: NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED. Learn more about the programs and how to apply. NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED applications open February 3 and close March 2. (Note: This event is part of a series of information sessions NC IDEA is hosting throughout the state in January and February. See the full schedule here.)
Triangle Health Innovation Challenge
January 24-26 @Trent Semans Center
At this weekend-long hackathon, local engineers, clinicians, designers, professionals and students will gather to collaborate in creating innovative solutions for the biggest challenges in healthcare. Participants will have an opportunity to compete for prizes up to $2,000.
NC IDEA Spring 2020 Grants Information Session (Durham)
January 27, 12-1:30 p.m. @American Underground @ATC
At this info session, NC IDEA Program Director Amy Bastian will share details on the upcoming spring 2020 grants: NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED. Learn more about the programs and how to apply. NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED applications open February 3 and close March 2. (Note: This event is part of a series of information sessions NC IDEA is hosting throughout the state in January and February. See the full schedule here.)
Triangle Global Health Consortium Mentor Monday Webinar
January 27, 4-5 p.m.
This monthly webinar series hosts a global health professional who will share insights and advice for advancing your career. This month’s webinar features Gretchen Van Vliet, senior public health project director at RTI International.
American Underground Startup Crawl: CloudFactory
January 27, 6-7:30 p.m. @CloudFactory
American Underground’s first 2020 Startup Crawl will be hosted by local startup CloudFactory. Join to connect with others in the startup community.
Duke CASE Executive Speaker Series
January 28, 6-7 p.m. @Duke Fuqua School of Business
Join Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship for a talk with Prudential Financial VP of Impact Investments Ommeed Sathe about the impact investing space.
Code for Chapel Hill
January 28, 6-8 p.m. @Town of Chapel Hill
Join the Code for Chapel Hill meetup to network with like-minded individuals and work on civic hacking projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.
Downtown Techies Happy Hours @Midtown
January 28, 7-9 p.m. @Fox and Hound
Bring your ideas and opinions to the next Midtown Techies meetup. Events are held on the last Tuesday of every month.
2020 NC STIR Briefing
January 30, 8:30-10 a.m. @Research Triangle Foundation
At this event, NC TECH will release its sixth annual State of Technology Industry Report and Tech Directory, capturing North Carolina’s tech sector and including a directory of all NC TECH members.
NC TECH Government Vendor Network
January 30, 3-4:30 p.m. @Wells Fargo Capitol Center
NC TECH’s Government Vendor Network is a forum for member companies who are interested in doing business with state government.
NC State Startup Career Fair at HQ@Centennial
January 30, 4-6 p.m. @HQ@Centennial
HQ Raleigh and NC State Entrepreneurship are co-hosting a job and resource fair that brings together startups and resources from across the Triangle and connects students with companies looking to hire new employees and interns.
Triangle Tech Net
January 31, 7-10 a.m. @Family Legacy Financial Solutions
This free bimonthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.
Application Deadline: UNC KickStart Commercialization Grant Awards
January 31
From UNC’s Office of Technology Commercialization, this quarterly grant program offers non-dilutive funding—from $5,000 to $50,000—to assist UNC faculty-led startups in commercializing their products.
Application Deadline: Duke MEDx & FastTrack Medical Device Development RFA
January 31
FastTrack, a collaborative medical device engineering resource in Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, in conjunction with MEDx, has a new funding opportunity for Duke faculty members, staff or students who are developing medical devices. Selected projects will receive prototyping services, project management and market analysis, IP and regulatory guidance and support for finding industry partnerships.
