RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – We’re interested in gauging readers’ opinions about our Triangle Startup Guide, a free resource package for beginner and seasoned entrepreneurs alike. Tailored to startup founders in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area, the guide features local VC and angel funding sources, accelerators, mentorship programs, local coworking spaces, free networking events, and much more.

But we know this feature can be better.

We would love to hear from you about:

  1. What do you like about the guide?
  2. What don’t you like?
  3. What can we do to improve it?
  4. How can we make it more relevant?
  5. Is there a new section of information you’d like to be added?
  6. How can we make it easier for you to submit information?
  7. What can we add or change that will encourage you to share it more with friends and colleagues?
  8. What do you think about the weekly updates that are published on Mondays? Are they helpful?
  9. Anything else on your mind that these questions don’t address?

Please send us any comments or feedback you might have. You can email me here.

Your weekly update

WRAL TechWire’s exclusive Triangle Startup Guide is continually growing with new resources for local entrepreneurs.

Every week, we add new resources and information to keep content fresh and relevant. Today, we added an update to a resource in the Competitions, Grants & Other Funding section of the guide:

The Launch Place recently unveiled its upcoming Big Launch Challenge pitch competition, noting that the program has awarded $159,000 to 14 companies over its eight-year history. We added this milestone to Big Launch Challenge’s line in the startup guide.

The Launch Place will partner with the Angel Capital Association for October training, pitch contest

The annual event is an opportunity for startups to pitch for cash prizes and capital opportunities. Although The Launch Place is based in Danville, Virginia, it has an office in RTP and several local startups in its portfolio. Winners of the Big Launch Challenge program often attract later investments from The Launch Place, as well.

Applications are live for this year’s Big Launch Challenge, which will be held on Oct. 14. Applications are due by Aug. 16.

Other recent additions to the Triangle Startup Guide:

  • In the Competitions, Grants & Other Funding section, we added Duke MEDx’s High-Risk, High-Impact Challenge. Run by the university’s cross-disciplinary innovation initiative, MEDx, this program provides up to three awards ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 to early career researchers for interdisciplinary projects tackling human health issues.
  • In the COVID-19 Relief/Support section, we added the North Carolina Humanities’ American Rescue Plan, which is now accepting applications for two grant programs supporting nonprofit or governmental organizations experiencing pandemic-related hardships. The programs offer $5,000 to $20,000 to be used for either programming/projects or operating support. The submission deadline is July 15.
  • In the Accelerators & Mentorship Programs section, we added an update about Launch Chapel Hill: The startup accelerator recently announced that its program has supported 153 companies since its founding in 2013. The program’s graduates have generated over $69 million in revenue and raise $38.4 million in capital. They also employ more than 800 people. We added this milestone to Launch Chapel Hill’s line in the startup guide.
  • In the Competitions, Grants & Other Funding Sources section, we added DIG SOUTH‘s Wild Pitch competition and LaunchBio’s The Big Pitch program.
  • In the Inspiration, Advice and More Resources section, we added a link to the Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s newly released 2020 Innovators Report. The annual report provides an overview of North Carolina’s innovation economy and includes the latest data on funding, deal flow and exits. The 2020 edition reports a record $3.4 billion raised by 187 North Carolina companies across 223 deals.
  • In the Free Events & Meetups section, we added a line for the Raleigh Creative Entrepreneurs Meetup, a new event series from local working space Raleigh Founded. First launched in March, the meetup convenes local creative entrepreneurs and storytellers to share their latest ideas and projects in a fun networking environment.
    • In the Free Events & Meetups section, we also added a line about events offered by First Flight Venture Center, a life science startup incubator in Research Triangle Park. It hosts regular lunch and learns, interactive presentations and workshops for life science entrepreneurs and innovators.

If we missed a resource you’d like added to the Triangle Startup Guide, please feel free to suggest it for inclusion. You can email me directly or use this contact form.