Here’s our exclusive roundup of upcoming events across North Carolina through the end of April. Included are the latest meetups, conferences, workshops, application deadlines and networking events happening in Asheville, Charlotte, the Triad, Wilmington and other parts of the state.
Many events will be held in person, as some organizers are returning to live events. Others will be held virtually and are noted as such.
If you’d like to submit an event for WRAL TechWire’s statewide events calendar, feel free to reach out here.
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Business Launch Academy Lunch & Learn
April 18, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. @UNCW CIE
Organized by UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Cape Fear Community College’s Small Business Center, this four-part series will offer strategic planning and implementation, access to capital support and more resources for starting or pivoting a business.
2023 Charlotte Venture Challenge
April 18, 5:30-8 p.m. @UNC Charlotte’s PORTAL Building
At its 22nd Charlotte Venture Challenge, UNC Charlotte’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation will honor students with impactful ideas, researchers commercializing their work, local founders launching/scaling their businesses, and Inclusive Innovation Leadership Academy graduates and support organizations. It will also include a pitch competition.
1 Million Cups Lake Norman
April 19, 7:30-9 a.m. @Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (& online)
Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs in the Lake Norman area join to present their companies to mentors, advisers and other startups. Join to meet new people and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs.
1 Million Cups Charlotte
April 19, 8-9 a.m. (online)
Held weekly, 1 Million Cups Charlotte features a presentation from a local startup followed by a Q&A from the community.
1 Million Cups Fayetteville
April 19, 9 a.m. @Fayetteville Technical Community College
Entrepreneurs in Fayetteville are welcome to attend 1 Million Cups every Wednesday to present their ventures and meet other founders in the area.
1 Million Cups Wilmington
April 19, 9-10 a.m. @UNCW Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (& online)
This weekly event brings together entrepreneurs in the Wilmington and Cape Fear community to gather for coffee, casual startup pitches and conversation.
1 Million Cups Asheville
April 19, 9-10 a.m. @Hatch Innovation Hub
Asheville’s startup community meets weekly to hear pitches from local founders and network with peers, investors and business leaders.
Voice of the Customer: Your Digital Transformation Starts Here
April 19, 1-2 p.m. (online)
This lunch and learn will offer insights on collecting and analyzing customer feedback, incorporating that feedback into new digital solutions and creating a customer-centric culture.
Mountain BizWorks’ Craft Your Commerce Series
April 19, 2-4 p.m. (online)
Mountain BizWorks’ spring 2023 Craft Your Commerce series runs from March to May. Creative entrepreneurs will learn about SEO and analytics, how to make an engaging website landing page and how to connect with customers via e-commerce platforms.
2023 Nisbet Venture Fund Pitch Competition
April 19, 6-8:30 p.m. @Davidson College’s Alvarez College Union (& online)
At this annual pitch event, 11 teams from Davidson College will compete for a chance to win more than $25,000 in prizes across two tracks. Note: This is a hybrid event.
Nisbet Venture Fund Pitch Competition
April 19
Davidson College’s Nisbet Venture Fund is an annual pitch competition for student entrepreneurs and recent alumni. Selected participants will receive coaching and mentorship before pitching their ventures for a chance to win up to $25,000 at this year’s competition.
Davidson Entrepreneurs Network Unconference 2023
April 20, 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. @Hurt Hub@Davidson
After the Nisbet Venture Fund pitch competition, Davidson College’s Hurt Hub will host an engaging “unconference” event with crowdsourced discussion topics across four 30-minute sessions.
All Blue 101
April 20, 9-10 a.m. @UNCW CIE
Open to UNC Wilmington faculty/staff, students and local entrepreneurs, this in-person workshop will cover various aspects of the blue economy and sustainable use of ocean resources.
IdeaFest Business Pitch Competition [in Virginia]
April 20, 1 p.m. in Danville, Virginia
The Launch Place is accepting applications for its eighth annual IdeaFest, where nearly a dozen finalists will pitch their ideas to judges and a live audience. The top three winners will get $10,000. Note: The Launch Place is based in Virginia, but it has an office in RTP and invests in Triangle-area startups.
Business Launch Academy Lunch & Learn
April 25, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. @UNCW CIE
Organized by UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Cape Fear Community College’s Small Business Center, this four-part series will offer strategic planning and implementation, access to capital support and more resources for starting or pivoting a business.
Pitch-Space Live at the Cabarrus Center
April 25, 4:30-6 p.m. @Cabarrus Center
In this event, a group of startups will present their products/services to a panel of investors for feedback. There will also be open networking.
1 Million Cups Lake Norman
April 26, 7:30-9 a.m. @Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (& online)
Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs in the Lake Norman area join to present their companies to mentors, advisers and other startups. Join to meet new people and collaborate with fellow entrepreneurs.
1 Million Cups Charlotte
April 26, 8-9 a.m. (online)
Held weekly, 1 Million Cups Charlotte features a presentation from a local startup followed by a Q&A from the community.
1 Million Cups Fayetteville
April 26, 9 a.m. @Fayetteville Technical Community College
Entrepreneurs in Fayetteville are welcome to attend 1 Million Cups every Wednesday to present their ventures and meet other founders in the area.
1 Million Cups Wilmington
April 26, 9-10 a.m. @UNCW Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (& online)
This weekly event brings together entrepreneurs in the Wilmington and Cape Fear community to gather for coffee, casual startup pitches and conversation.
1 Million Cups Asheville
April 26, 9-10 a.m. @Hatch Innovation Hub
Asheville’s startup community meets weekly to hear pitches from local founders and network with peers, investors and business leaders.
DIG SOUTH Tech Summit 2023 [Charleston, SC]
April 26–27 @College of Charleston TD Arena
The DIG SOUTH Tech Summit returns for another year of programming in Charleston, South Carolina. The annual conference convenes startups and investors from across the Southeast. This year’s event centers around the theme of “Transformation.”
Mountain BizWorks’ Craft Your Commerce Series
April 27, 12-2 p.m. (online)
Mountain BizWorks’ spring 2023 Craft Your Commerce series runs from March to May. Creative entrepreneurs will learn about SEO and analytics, how to make an engaging website landing page and how to connect with customers via e-commerce platforms.
SEED20 OnStage
April 27, 6:30 p.m. @ImaginOn – McColl Family Theatre
At Social Venture Partners Charlotte’s annual SEED20 event, 10 nonprofits will pitch to an audience for a chance to win cash and in-kind prizes. Networking will follow.
Women Lead NC: Charlotte
April 28 @Charlotte Convention Center
NC Chamber will host a conference exploring opportunities for women in the workplace, the leadership experience, and ways men and women can work together to build the next generation of women leaders.
