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.
Following is a list of January events in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the greater Triangle area. To find out what’s happening this month in cities outside of the Triangle, check out part two of the “Headliners” column. Another post highlights events coming up 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.
Also, check out a full range of events on TechWire’s interactive calendar, along with our comprehensive resource guide for startups in the Triangle.
Note: The following list is our lineup of Triangle events through the end of January—most have been switched to a virtual format due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements.
Barber & Cosmetology Business Summit
January 25 (online)
This free virtual summit aims to inform barbers, natural hair practitioners and cosmetologists of the information, best practices and resources they can use to create a sustainable business in their profession.
Duke Research Week 2021
January 25-29 (online)
Duke University’s annual Research Week is back this year with a virtual celebration of novel research accomplishments from students and faculty.
Announcing UNC Entrepreneurship Center + RTP Partnership
January 26, 8:30-9:30 a.m. (online)
UNC Kenan-Flagler’s Entrepreneurship Center and the Research Triangle Foundation are partnering to create an office outpost for UNC students inside the Frontier RTP startup hub. Join this webinar to learn more about the partnership and other initiatives coming soon.
Urban Land Institute Triangle: Fireside Chat with Mark Vitner
January 26, 8:30-10 a.m. (online)
In this virtual event, Urban Land Institute Triangle will host a fireside chat with Wells Fargo Managing Director and Senior Economist Mark Vitner, who will discuss 2021 trends in capital markets, banking, investor sentiment, and more.
Raleigh Chamber Coffee with Sharat Nagaraj
January 26, 9-10 a.m. (online)
Raleigh Chamber is hosting a virtual event with Sharat Nagaraj, the president and CEO of Raleigh-based telecommunications company Celito Communications.
NC TECH Department of Defense Cybersecurity Regulations Workshop
January 26, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (online)
In this NC TECH webinar, IT and cybersecurity leaders will learn about how to comply with new cybersecurity regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Durham Community Resource Fair
January 26, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (online)
Durham Tech is hosting its first-ever Community Resource Fair, in which jobseekers will connect with local resource providers that can help them advance their careers.
Info Session: Map the System Global Challenge
January 26, 12-1 p.m. (online)
Map the System is a pitch competition for social innovations focused on solving complex problems. Teams from UNC will compete for a cash prize of $500. Join this info session to learn more about the program and how to apply. The application deadline is Jan. 31.
Women Excelling in Entrepreneurship
January 26, 12-1 p.m. (online)
100 Women and UNC’s Eship Center are hosting a virtual panel with four female entrepreneurs sharing their startup journeys.
Idea to Market: Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Workshops
January 26, 12-2 p.m. (online)
Duke University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and First Flight Venture Center are hosting three seminars this month covering early-stage ideation, opportunity identification, and go-to-market strategies.
Collaborate, Meet & Work Remotely
January 26, 1-2 p.m. (online)
Durham Chamber is hosting a webinar covering the free tools Google offers for scheduling virtual meetings, collaborating on documents, accessing your files from anywhere, and more tasks.
NC State eGames Competition Student Info Session
January 26, 3-4 p.m. (online)
Join this info session (one of three virtual sessions) to learn more about NC State Entrepreneurship’s upcoming 2021 eGames startup competition. Applications are due on Feb. 12 at 11:59 p.m.
Competitive Edge: How Edge Computing Takes Business to the Next Level
January 26, 4-6 p.m. (online)
RIoT is hosting a virtual event discussing how businesses can take advantage of edge computing technology. More TechWire coverage here.
The New Entrepreneur Marketing Journey
January 26, 7-8:30 p.m. (online)
Durham Chamber is hosting a virtual workshop covering how entrepreneurs can create a brand, define their target audience, and guide the customer journey from awareness to purchase and beyond.
Downtown Techies Happy Hours @Midtown
January 26, 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.
Duke MEDx Entrepreneurship Workshop Series
January 26, 7-10 p.m. (online)
Duke MEDx’s free Entrepreneurship Workshop Series features interactive talks from local experts. Events will be held on select Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.
Cary Chamber Breakfast with the Mayor
January 27, 7:30-9 a.m. @Prestonwood Country Club & online
Cary Chamber is hosting a breakfast event with Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, who will recap the last year’s happenings and preview what’s to come in 2021.
2021 Outlook for Tech
January 27, 8:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (online)
NC TECH’s 2021 Outlook for Tech event will center around the theme: “So…What’s Next?” The program will include executive briefing presentations, the release of the NC STIR 2021 report, tech talks, CIO panel discussions and a preview of NC TECH’s next year or programming.
1 Million Cups RTP
January 27, 9-10 a.m. (online)
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.
NC4ME & Durham NCWorks Virtual Hiring Event
January 27, 9:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. (online)
NC4ME and NCWorks of Durham are hosting a virtual hiring event to convene recruiters and hiring managers with veterans, transitioning service members, guard/reserves and military spouses.
NAWBO Raleigh Business Luncheon
January 27, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (online)
The Raleigh chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is hosting a virtual panel of financial and legal experts discussing PPP, budgeting, creating a COVID-19 compliant workplace and avoiding pandemic pitfalls.
Fireside Chat with Eric Happel
January 27, 12-1 p.m. (online)
Launch Chapel Hill and UNC’s Entrepreneurship Center are hosting a fireside chat with Nike retail strategy leader Eric Happel, who will share why he left Nike for a startup, his experience building a startup, and his later return to Nike with newfound experience.
Delivering FIDO2 Passwordless Authentication for PSD2 Compliance & Risk Mitigation
January 27, 1 p.m. (online)
StrongKey is hosting a webinar covering Payment Services Directive (PSD2) requirements and compliance, risk analysis of SCA methods, and FIDO2 implementation best practices for banks, merchants and PSPs.
How a Simple Solder Sphere Solves Today’s EMI Shielding Challenges
January 27, 1-2 p.m. (online)
This virtual workshop will cover how SnapShot board level EMI shielding from XGR Technologies helps to overcome the shortcomings of traditional board level shielding solutions.
NC Rural Center REDI 30 Year Celebration
January 27, 4-5 p.m. (online)
In this virtual event, the North Carolina Rural Center will celebrate the impact of its Rural Economic Development Institute leadership initiative.
Innovate Carolina Seminar: Innovation for the Public Good
January 27, 4:30 p.m. (online)
This webinar hosted by Innovate Carolina will center around how to think about social innovation.
HBA RTP Sip & Chat: New Year, New Mindset
January 27, 6-7 p.m. (online)
In its first event of the year, the RTP chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association will share chapter updates and the group’s goals for 2021, the HBA mentorship program, and more.
Started at State: Catherina Gomes
January 27, 6-7 p.m. (online)
NC State Entrepreneurship’s next Started at State event will feature Catherina Gomes, the founder and CEO of social impact startup 700 Rivers.
Raleigh Chamber Newly Elected Officials Series
January 28, 9-10 a.m. (online)
The Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is hosting an interactive two-part virtual series featuring newly elected state and local officials.
Public Health Genomics in Action
January 28, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. (online)
In this virtual event, Sara Imhof of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center will discuss the NC Precision Health Collaborative, a public-private initiative to advance precision health through innovation and partnership.
Digital Accessibility 101 Webinar
January 28, 12 p.m. (online)
Forrest Firm and Ablr are hosting a webinar on digital accessibility and what that means for your business, your brand and your endeavors to be inclusive from a legal, business and user perspective.
On the Menu: Transitioning to a Career in IT
January 28, 12-1 p.m. (online)
RTP’s On the Menu series returns virtually this month to cover the necessary steps to transition to a new career in IT.
BioGrow: Training & Education Across North Carolina
January 28, 12:30-5 p.m. (online)
This virtual event will feature panels of students, hiring managers and training institutions discussing careers in biopharma manufacturing. More TechWire coverage here.
Why Data Security Should Be a Top Priority for Your Small to Medium-Size Business
January 28, 2-3 p.m. (online)
The Durham Chamber of Commerce is hosting a webinar covering cybersecurity, privacy, data governance and digital ethics.
Virtual NC HUB & NC DBE Certification Info Session
January 28, 2:30-4 p.m. (online)
The City of Raleigh is hosting monthly virtual workshops on the benefits of the HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) and DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) certification programs.
Stand Out in a Networking Event
January 28, 4-5 p.m. (online)
NC State Entrepreneurship is hosting a networking workshop led by District C Co-Founder Anne Jones. Attendees can put their skills to practice at the Raleigh Founded & NC State Entrepreneurship Startup Fair on Feb. 4.
Creating a Space for Black Student Entrepreneurs
January 28, 6-7 p.m. (online)
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Eship Center is hosting a webinar featuring Black student entrepreneurs sharing their journeys.
Raleigh Chamber Professional Women’s Luncheon
January 29, 10-11:30 a.m. (online)
In this virtual event, local women leaders will deliver short talks about the state of women in leadership.
Triangle Tech Net
January 29, 11:30 a.m. (online)
This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.
TriWiSTEM Virtual 2021 Kickoff Event
January 29, 12-1 p.m. (online)
TriWiSTEM is hosting a virtual 2021 kickoff to highlight the group’s work and discuss one woman’s STEM journey.
Application Deadline: Pitch – A Competition for Black Student-Founders
January 29
Duke University and North Carolina Central University invite student entrepreneurs and recent alumni to showcase their businesses at pitch: A competition for Black student-founders. Participating entrepreneurs will present their startups and receive expert feedback from investors. Prize money will be awarded.
NC State Make-A-Thon 2021
January 29-31 (online)
In NC State’s Make-A-Thon, students will compete in teams to create a solution to a sustainability challenge. Students will then pitch their ideas to judges for a chance to win $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place and $500 for third place.
Application Deadline: Map the System Competition
January 31
Map the System is a pitch competition for social innovations focused on solving complex problems. Teams from UNC will compete for a cash prize of $500, funded by Innovate Carolina’s Dreamers-Who-Do Fund. Finalists will then take part in the global Map the System Challenge.
