With new financing, Durham social media startup SpokeHub reviving the chat room
A new version of Durham-based chat and social media app SpokeHub launches this week, buoyed by investment cash.
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Amy Huffman
Posts by Amy Huffman
Triangle-grown social media: The story behind Durham’s SpokeHub and its five African American founders
Through a series of new updates, the founders of SpokeHub seek to join the ranks of social media giants. “It’s going to change the way people are going to communicate,” says co-founder Robert Hartsfield.
Read MoreCrunching numbers: A look at progress of NC’s startup ecosystem
Since my first article for ExitEvent in May 2014 analyzed North Carolina’s entrepreneurial community through a data lens, it felt fitting that my last piece would do the same. And yet, I struggled with writing this piece. Not because it was bittersweet (which in fact it is), but because in looking through several sets of data, I was disappointed and didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news. But it’s not all bad news, and benchmarking the region against itself and other regions is important if the Triangle is going to grow as an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Regardless, a lot has...
Read MoreWhat Data Show About NC’s Progress as a Startup Ecosystem
Since my first article for ExitEvent in May 2014 analyzed North Carolina’s entrepreneurial community through a data lens, it felt fitting that my last piece would do the same. And yet, I struggled with writing this piece. Not because it was bittersweet (which in fact it is), but because...
Read MoreValidic’s Vision: Making Healthcare Invisible
In describing his vision for Validic, CEO Drew Schiller quotes the famous UX designer Jared Spool, “Good design, when done well, is invisible. It’s only when it’s done poorly that you see it.” Schiller believes the healthcare industry’s challenges are inherently due to bad design. And while there’s no silver bullet to solving that, he’s rethinking Validic to move the entire industry closer to a solution. Just this week, the Durham company announced an enhancement to its software platform that collects and transfers data from disparate wearable devices, apps and other sources to doctors and healthcare organizations. Now, patient...
Read MoreDurham startup Loanable launches friends, family lending platform
Editor’s note: Loanable, the lone Durham participant in this week’s Google for Entrepreneurs’ Exchange program, is led by Bernard Worthy who participated in the first Black Founders program a year ago. He shares the inspiration and plans for his FinTech startup with ExitEvent’s Amy Huffman. DURHAM – “I was blown away by the folks in the room who looked like me,” says Bernard Worthy, on his thoughts after attending events at last year’s Google for Entrepreneurs (GFE) Exchange Program for Black Founders, hosted by American Underground. The experience inspired Worthy to ramp up development of his side project, Loanable, a...
Read MoreDurham’s Loanable Launches Friends & Family Lending Platform In Time for Black Founders Exchange Program
“I was blown away by the folks in the room who looked like me,” says Bernard Worthy, on his thoughts after attending events at last year’s Google for Entrepreneurs (GFE) Exchange Program for Black Founders, hosted by American Underground. The experience inspired Worthy to ramp up development of his...
Read MoreWhat Happens When, “How Can I Help?” Becomes a Region’s Mantra
Techstars founder David Cohen covered a range of topics during his fireside chat at this week’s CED Tech Venture Conference, from how he enticed storied venture capitalist Brad Feld to invest in Techstars to his early investment in Uber. But one theme rose to the top—the communities with entrepreneurs, investors...
Read MoreHigh School is Fertile Ground for These 5 Student Startups
Kirsten Barber contributed. The young men and women profiled below give a new definition to extracurricular activity. Instead of—or in some cases, addition to—the typical clubs and sports, these North Carolina high school students (and 2017 grads) spend their off-hours writing code, conducting research, developing business plans, raising funds...
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