RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – With weekly updates to keep content fresh, WRAL TechWire’s Triangle Startup Guide offers a timely resource package for anyone looking to start or grow a business in the Triangle area.  

We started 2022 by recapping every update made to the guide in 2021, and now we’re back another new resource for local entrepreneurs. The latest update comes to the “Competitions, Grants & Other Funding Sources” section of the guide, which features dozens of programs for startups to get more funding and exposure beyond traditional funding rounds.

Today, we added the upcoming Duke Cyber Pitch Competition, a program headed by Duke University’s Sanford Cyber Policy Program. The competition, held on Feb. 26 from 12–5 p.m., targets students with business ideas in the fields of cybersecurity, data protection, privacy and online safety.

Selected individuals or teams will pitch their ventures to investment experts for a chance to win $25,000 and other prizes. Winners will also receive a grant from Paladin Capital, an investment firm headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Interested students have until Feb. 1 to apply to pitch at the event.

Other recent additions to the Triangle Startup Guide

Every week, we update the guide with new resources for local entrepreneurs for our exclusive Triangle Startup Guide. If we missed something, please feel free to suggest it for inclusion. You can email me directly or use this contact form.

In case you missed it, check out this recap of all the updates we made in 2021. And here’s a review of the additions from recent weeks:

  • In our list of COVID relief programs, we added a line about an upcoming informational webinar covering the NC Department of Revenue’s new Business Recovery Grant for businesses dealing with pandemic-related losses. The Downtown Raleigh Alliance, an organization serving local small businesses, will host an informational webinar this Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. to discuss the program’s provisions, eligibility criteria and how to apply. We added a link to the webinar in our COVID relief program list.
  • In the “Venture Capital and Angel Groups” section of the guide, we added the Triangle Tweener Fund, a sort of “index” targeting early-stage startups in the Triangle. The fund launched in December with support from more than 20 local entrepreneurs.
  • In the “Inspiration, Advice & More Resources” section of the guide, we added the Tech Innovation Index, a new report from the North Carolina Technology Association (NC TECH). The annual publication provides a detailed snapshot of how the state’s metro areas compare to other top metros nationwide, measuring tech innovation across three broader categories: talent supply, talent demand and innovation. The inaugural report, released earlier this month, ranked two Triangle metro hubs—Durham-Chapel Hill and Raleigh-Cary—within the top 10 metro areas in the U.S.
  • In the “COVID-19 Funding, Assistance & Resources” section, we added a few Small Business Administration programs with deadlines coming up on Dec. 31: Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Targeted EIDL Advance and Supplemental Targeted Advance.
  • In the “Competitions, Grants & Other Funding Sources” section of the guide, we added NC State University’s upcoming Make-A-Thon program, in which student teams are tasked with creating the best solution to a sustainability challenge. At the end of the weekend, participating teams will pitch their ideas to judges and local companies for a chance to win cash prizes. This year’s competition, held Jan. 27–30, will offer $2,000 to the winning team, $1,000 to the runner-up and $500 to the third-place winner. The deadline to register is Jan. 16.
  • In the “Accelerators and Mentorship Programs” section, we added LaunchWENDELL—a new 10-week program from the Town of Wendell and Wake Technical Community College that aims to support entrepreneurs and small business owners in Wendell. Applications for the first cohort are open through Dec. 1, and classes are set to kick off in January 2022. Participants will be assigned a mentor from the business community to guide their business development strategy.