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. Below is a list of February 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. We’ve also put together an exclusive roundup of upcoming deadlines for startup-focused programs in North Carolina.
Another post highlights events in March. Meetups that occur regularly are listed here.
If you’d like your event to be included, feel free to send me an email.
Check out a full range of events on TechWire’s interactive calendar for more, along with our comprehensive resource guide for startups in the Triangle.
Here’s our lineup of Triangle events through the end of February:
NC IDEA Spring 2020 Grants Information Session (Durham)
January 27, 12-1:30 p.m. @American Underground @ATC
At this info session, NC IDEA Program Director Amy Bastian will share details on the upcoming spring 2020 grants: NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED. Learn more about the programs and how to apply. NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED applications open February 3 and close March 2. (Note: This event is part of a series of information sessions NC IDEA is hosting throughout the state in January and February. See the full schedule here.)
Triangle Global Health Consortium Mentor Monday Webinar
January 27, 4-5 p.m.
This monthly webinar series hosts a global health professional who will share insights and advice for advancing your career. This month’s webinar features Gretchen Van Vliet, senior public health project director at RTI International.
American Underground Startup Crawl: CloudFactory
January 27, 6-7:30 p.m. @CloudFactory
American Underground’s first 2020 Startup Crawl will be hosted by local startup CloudFactory. Join to connect with others in the startup community.
1789 Networking Night
January 28, 5-7 p.m. @1789 Venture Lab
UNC graduate and undergraduate students are invited to attend this “Networking Night” to learn about the latest resources and funding opportunities for student entrepreneurs.
Duke CASE Executive Speaker Series
January 28, 6-7 p.m. @Duke Fuqua School of Business
Join Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship for a talk with Prudential Financial VP of Impact Investments Ommeed Sathe about the impact investing space.
Code for Chapel Hill
January 28, 6-8 p.m. @Town of Chapel Hill
Join the Code for Chapel Hill meetup to network with like-minded individuals and work on civic hacking projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.
Downtown Techies Happy Hours @Midtown
January 28, 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.
1 Million Cups RTP
January 29, 9-10 a.m. @American Underground (@Blackwell)
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.
2020 NC STIR Briefing
January 30, 8:30-10 a.m. @Research Triangle Foundation
At this event, NC TECH will release its sixth annual State of Technology Industry Report and Tech Directory, capturing North Carolina’s tech sector and including a directory of all NC TECH members.
Small Business Summit & Resource Fair
January 30, 2-7 p.m. @Wake Forest Renaissance Centre
The Wake Forest Area Chamber, the Wake Tech Small Business Center and the Town of Wake Forest are hosting a resource fair featuring local businesses and nonprofits that provide services to small businesses. Participants will also learn best-practices to take their marketing efforts to the next level.
NC TECH Government Vendor Network
January 30, 3-4:30 p.m. @Wells Fargo Capitol Center
NC TECH’s Government Vendor Network is a forum for member companies who are interested in doing business with state government.
NC State Startup Career Fair at HQ@Centennial
January 30, 4-6 p.m. @HQ@Centennial
HQ Raleigh and NC State Entrepreneurship are co-hosting a job and resource fair that brings together startups and resources from across the Triangle and connects students with companies looking to hire new employees and interns.
Triangle Tech Net
January 31, 7-10 a.m. @Family Legacy Financial Solutions
This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.
Application Deadline: UNC KickStart Commercialization Grant Awards
January 31
From UNC’s Office of Technology Commercialization, this quarterly grant program offers non-dilutive funding—from $5,000 to $50,000—to assist UNC faculty-led startups in commercializing their products.
Application Deadline: Duke MEDx & FastTrack Medical Device Development RFA
January 31
FastTrack, a collaborative medical device engineering resource at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, in conjunction with MEDx, has a new funding opportunity for Duke faculty members, staff or students who are developing medical devices. Selected projects will receive prototyping services, project management and market analysis, IP and regulatory guidance and support for finding industry partnerships.
Application Deadline: Alexandria Ag Tech Innovation Prize
January 31
Alexandria LaunchLabs will award a $75,000 cash prize and a free one-year membership to a local agtech company. Apply by January 31.
TechGirlz Workshop: Python Programming
February 1, 1-4 p.m. @Spreedly
In this workshop, students will learn how to program their own games using Python. The lesson will cover simple data types, including numbers, letters and strings, and lists.
TechGirlz Workshop: Podcasting
February 3, 5-8 p.m. @Microsoft
This workshop serves as an introduction to popular podcasting software such as Audacity and GarageBand. Students will participate in hands-on activities where they can create their own podcast recording. Snacks will be provided.
NC IDEA MICRO & NC IDEA SEED Applications Open
February 3
NC IDEA is seeking applicants for its upcoming spring 2020 SEED and MICRO grant programs:
- The NC IDEA SEED grant program offers a select group of early-stage startups $50,000 in funding for validating target markets, growing and scaling before they seek future investments. Recipients will also receive mentorship from NC IDEA and access to its network.
- The NC IDEA MICRO grant program offers funding of up to $10,000 for early-stage companies seeking to validate and further develop their ideas. Recipients will also receive mentorship from NC IDEA and access to its network.
NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED grant applications are due March 2 at 5 p.m. ET.
Application Deadline: Duke MEDx Biomechanics of Injury or Injury Repair RFA
February 3
Duke MEDx has announced a call for proposals for faculty-led interdisciplinary research in the biomechanics of injury and injury repair. Grant applicants should request up to $50,000 in direct costs.
Clean Energy in the Southeast 2020 Continuing Legal Education
February 4, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. @Raleigh Convention Center
This CLE program will feature the latest insights on the implementation of clean energy policy, customer choice, regulatory reform, resilience, utility-scale solar, electric vehicles, and more topics.
NC IDEA Spring 2020 Grants Information Session (Raleigh)
February 4, 3-4:30 p.m. @RIoT Labs
At this info session, NC IDEA will share details on the upcoming spring 2020 grants: NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED. Learn more about the programs and how to apply. NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED applications will close on March 2. (Note: This event is part of a series of upcoming information sessions NC IDEA is hosting throughout the state. See the full schedule here.)
Women in Agribusiness: RTP Meetup
February 4, 5:30-7 p.m. @La Cocina Mexican Restaurant
Join Women In Agribusiness for an evening of networking and conversation over cocktails and appetizers.
Code for Durham: Civic Hacking Session
February 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m. @Caktus Group
Code for Durham brings together technologists, designers, developers, data scientists, map makers and activists to collaborate on civic technology projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays. Pizza will be provided.
Lunch & Learn: Go Personal with Video Storytelling in 2020
February 5, 12-1 p.m. @HQ Raleigh
In this lunch and learn, Heather Burns and Joe Bruno of Oak City Productions will cover the key technologies, storytelling techniques and strategies for boosting brand awareness.
NC Chamber Environmental Compliance Conference
February 5, 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. @Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel
Join the NC Chamber, NC Department of Environmental Quality officials and industry experts to discuss pressing regulatory issues, legislation and policy decisions impacting air, water, waste and natural resources.
On the Menu: The Surprising Power of Questions
February 6, 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. @The Frontier
During this workshop, NextGen Founder Brian Alvo will show participants how to use questions to improve their everyday interactions. Lunch will be provided.
TriWiSTEM Advancing Your Career Series: Building an Effective Team
February 6, 12-1 p.m. @NCBiotech
TriWiSTEM is kicking off the next phase of its “Advancing Your Career” series, focused on providing tools to help attendees advance their career through informal, one-hour sessions. This event features a discussion on team-building and leadership.
Larger Than Life Science
February 6, 4-7 p.m. @The Chesterfield
Meet fellow entrepreneurs, get tips on growing your company and network with members of the life science community at Larger Than Life Science, a free event presented by LaunchBio.
Policygenius Meet & Greet
February 6, 5:30-7:30 p.m. @Van Alen Apartments, 12th Floor Penthouse
As Policygenius opens its new Durham headquarters, the company will be hosting a meet and greet to connect to members of the local community.
Application Deadline: Duke CASE Launch Pad Program
February 6
Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) is now accepting applications for its 2020 Launch Pad program for Duke MBA students. The program includes a $10,000 grant, coaching from CASE staff and the program’s global network of impact enterprise leaders.
Get2Know NC TECH Webinar
February 7, 9-9:30 a.m.
This free monthly interactive webinar provides participants with an overview of NC TECH’s activities, resources and member offerings.
Triangle Global Health Career Day
February 7, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. @RTI International
During this event, students and professionals who are interested in global and public health careers can learn about the latest job opportunities and find out what it’s like to work in the field.
Triangle Esports Championship 2020
February 7-9 @Herb Young Community Center
During this year’s Triangle Esports Championship, Lenovo will be providing 200 gaming computers from Lenovo’s Legion line. Half will be designated for “free play” and the other half will be assigned to gamers for official tournament play. More TechWire coverage here.
Try Coding One-Day Workshop: Front End Programming 2.8.20
February 8, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. @Project Shift (@WeWork Durham)
Project Shift’s Software Engineering Fellowship presents a full-day crash course in Front-End Engineering. Learn how to turn coding into a career.
Innovative Product Design in a Regulated Market
February 8, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. @Duke Schiciano Auditorium
This free product design workshop is geared toward medical device designers. Lunch will be provided.
Java Joust 2020
February 8-9 @Seguno Software HQ
This 24-hour hackathon tasks individuals and small teams with building something great using Java. Participants have the opportunity to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes.
ReCONNECT to Technological Opportunity Forum
February 10, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. @McKimmon Conference and Training Center
Join the Institute for Emerging Issues in Raleigh for its fourth forum in the ReCONNECT NC series. This full-day event will explore what communities can do to leverage high-speed internet in an equitable way.
Application Deadline: Duke MEDx Colloquia Series
February 10
Duke MEDx is offering funding and support for interdisciplinary colloquia that bring together physicians, engineers, computer scientists, data analysts, and basic and/or clinical researchers who are combining medicine and engineering to solve complex problems.
Application Deadline: 1789 Student Venture Fund
February 10
UNC-Chapel Hill’s new 1789 Student Venture Fund provides small, targeted funding to help undergraduate and graduate students get their commercial and social startups off the ground.
Application Deadline: 2020 UNC Innovation Showcase
February 10
Applications are now open to present or exhibit at the 2020 UNC Innovation Showcase on April 9. During the showcase, Innovate Carolina will celebrate a select group of ventures, research projects and initiatives within UNC’s ecosystem.
Triangle Biotech Tuesday
February 11, 5:15-7:30 p.m. @5 Laboratory Drive
Triangle Biotech Tuesday is a monthly meetup that connects scientific professionals across the RTP/greater Triangle area. Join for food, drinks and networking with professionals from different industries. The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month.
Young Professionals Network Social
February 11, 5:30-7 p.m. @Diamonds Direct Crabtree
Members of Raleigh Chamber’s Young Professionals Network are invited to an after-work social at Diamonds Direct Crabtree.
Pints & Pitches Chapel Hill
February 11, 6-7:30 p.m. @The Pit Chapel Hill
Join Chapel Hill Economic Development for appetizers and networking with local entrepreneurs, startup teams, freelancers and professionals. Attendees can pitch their business ideas. More coverage here.
Code for Chapel Hill
February 11, 6-8 p.m. @Town of Chapel Hill
Join the Code for Chapel Hill meetup to network with like-minded individuals and work on civic hacking projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.
Duke Sustainable Business & Social Impact Conference
February 12, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. @Duke Fuqua School of Business
The 15th annual Sustainable Business and Social Impact (SBSI) Conference will convene professionals, students and business leaders to discuss topics around the theme: “Innovating for a Better World.”
Women in Clean Energy Mentorship Program Launch Party
February 12, 5-8 p.m. @Trophy Brewing
Co-hosted by the NC Sustainable Energy Association, the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster and the NC Clean Energy Technology Center, this Galentine’s Day event serves as the launch party for the new Women in Clean Energy Mentorship Program. Join to learn more about the program and network over drinks and snacks. Tickets are free.
NC TECH Capitol Hill Reception (Washington, DC)
February 12, 6-8 p.m. @Sonoma Restaurant + Wine Bar
NC TECH will host a Capitol Hill Reception for members and invited guests, including the North Carolina Congressional Delegation. Note: Registration is open to NC TECH members only.
Building Communities and Creating Movements
February 13, 6-8 p.m. @HQ Gateway
General Assembly is hosting a panel with community innovation leaders who are spearheading projects to make entrepreneurship more accessible to the public. More TechWire coverage here.
Triangle Tech Net
February 14, 7-10 a.m. @Family Legacy Financial Solutions
This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.
C-Suite Perspectives
February 14, 7:30-9 a.m. @Umstead Hotel and Spa
Raleigh Chamber’s next C-Suite Perspectives event features a talk with Walk West CEO Donald Thompson, who will share the story of his professional journey and how he led his company to success. (This event is for Raleigh Chamber members only.)
Application Deadline: Ice House Facilitator Training
February 16
NC IDEA’s three-day Ice House Facilitator Training, held March 17-19 in the Durham/RTP area, aims to provide education and insight on the “entrepreneurial mindset” to innovators who want to solve complex problems. NC IDEA currently seeks education partners interested in offering the course at their institutions.
NC TECH CEO Reception
February 17, 4:30-6 p.m. @Executive Mansion
At this invite-only event, NC TECH brings together CEOs and site leaders at the North Carolina Executive Mansion.
ElectriCities 2020 Connections Summit
February 18-20 @Embassy Suites, Cary
Join ElectriCities of NC for an interactive event focused on how utility staff and technology drive the customer experience. Conference tracks include Information Technology, Utility Operations, Finance and Customer Service, Human Resources, and Management.
Community Success Forum: Economic Mobility & Affordability
February 18, 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. @Marbles Kids Museum
This Raleigh Chamber event features national experts, local leaders and professionals discussing the opportunities and challenges surrounding affordability, housing and sustainable communities.
Rural NC Place-Based Entrepreneurship Roundtable
February 18, 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
In partnership with NCGrowth, the NC IDEA Foundation is hosting a roundtable event focused on highlighting entrepreneurial centers and programs, incubators, co-working spaces and accelerators in counties of less than 200,000 people.
Code for Durham: Civic Hacking Session
February 18, 5:30-8:30 p.m. @Caktus Group
Code for Durham brings together technologists, designers, developers, data scientists, map makers and activists to collaborate on civic technology projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays. Pizza will be provided.
Eastern North Carolina Career Alliance Career Fair
February 19, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. @McKimmon Center
The Eastern North Carolina Career Alliance invites students and alumni of all ENCCA institutions to attend its upcoming career fair in Raleigh.
Ag Tech Professional Forum
February 19, 4:30-7 p.m. @NCBiotech
This event convenes local ag tech entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders for an evening of networking and engagement outside of the traditional workplace environment.
2020 NCWorks IT Career Fair
February 20, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. @NCWorks Career Center – Raleigh
This career fair is an opportunity for IT jobseekers to network and engage employers face-to-face and market their talent to potentially land their next job.
RTP180: Expressions of Color
February 20, 5-7:30 p.m. @The Frontier
In honor of Black History Month, RTP180 is hosting a panel of five local African American leaders discussing their different fields, how they got there, and how they express their culture and heritage today. Speakers include Pierce Freelon of Blackspace, Dasan Ahanu of Carolina Performing Arts, Dr. Nehemiah Mabry of STEMedia, Zweli Williams of Zwelis Inc. and Cheri Selby Pearson of Public Allies.
Bunker Brews Raleigh-Durham: Navigating the Entrepreneur Ecosystem
February 20, 5:30-7:30 p.m. @Boxcar Bar & Arcade
Join Bunker Labs Raleigh-Durham to hear insights from Arden Rosenblatt, business launch specialist at SBTDC at UNC and NC State, as he shares tips to navigate the resources that are available within North Carolina’s startup ecosystem.
UNC Clean Tech Summit
February 20-21 @Friday Center
Hosted by UNC’s Institute for the Environment and Kenan-Flagler Business School, the 7th annual Clean Tech Summit will highlight the latest innovations, trends and challenges in the industry and North Carolina’s role in helping create a green global economy.
Duke School of Nursing Healthcare Innovation Conference
February 21, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. @Duke University School of Nursing
Duke University’s School of Nursing and the North Carolina Biotechnology Center are hosting the inaugural Healthcare Innovation Conference, a one-day event that aims to help nurses and other healthcare providers understand how to develop and test their innovative ideas.
RTCC Clean Tech Summit Career Fair
February 21, 3-5 p.m. @Friday Center
The Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster and UNC’s Institute for the Environment are hosting a career fair during Clean Tech Summit. The event is open to all currently enrolled undergraduate and graduate students, in addition to those who have recently graduated from universities in the southeast region.
Application Deadline: City of Raleigh Building Up-fit Grant
February 24
The City of Raleigh’s Building Up-Fit Grant helps fund improvements, renovations and/or additions to the interior properties of local businesses.
Raleigh Chamber Networking 101
February 25, 8-9 a.m. @Raleigh Chamber of Commerce
During this event, Barfield Revenue Consulting President and CEO Will Barfield will show participants how to network with a strategy in mind. (Note: This is a members-only event.)
Code for Chapel Hill
February 25, 6-8 p.m. @Town of Chapel Hill
Join the Code for Chapel Hill meetup to network with like-minded individuals and work on civic hacking projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.
The ‘Why’ Behind Javascript Frameworks (& How to Learn Them)
February 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. @IBM
This month’s All Things Open RTP meetup features a talk on Javascript frameworks, from Peter Elbaum, software engineer at Praxent.
Downtown Techies Happy Hours @Midtown
February 25, 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.
Southeast Clean Power Summit 2020
February 25-26 @Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley
EUCI’s 9th annual Southeast Clean Power Summit will provide vital information regarding the future of the region’s clean power supply and infrastructure. The conference features utilities, project developers and industry experts discussing the most current information and what it’s likely to mean for stakeholders.
NAWBO Greater Raleigh Workshop
February 26, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. @Executive Office Suites at Lafayette Village
NAWBO Greater Raleigh is hosting a workshop on exit planning, led by business scaling and acquisition experts Shanon Madrid, owner of Sunbelt Business Brokers, and Joy Thrash, owner of Business Resource Management.
Application Deadline: NCBiotech Translational Research Grant (Cycle 2)
February 26
The NC Biotech Center’s Translational Research Grant program provides funding for projects exploring/developing commercial applications for university-held life science inventions. Applications for cycle 2 are due at 12 p.m. EST.
Raleigh Chamber Courageous Conversation
February 27, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. @NC State University, McKimmon Center
In this seminar, participants will hear about the strategies businesses are implementing to reduce bias and deploy artificial intelligence systems that avoid discrimination in decisions and behaviors.
February 28, 7-10 a.m. @Family Legacy Financial Solutions
This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.
Ellevate Triangle NC Signature Lunch Event: Shift, Pivot & Bootstrap Your Career
February 28, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. @Brier Creek Country Club
Ellevate Triangle NC for its first signature event of 2020, featuring an engaging conversation with local women who have made big shifts and pivots in their careers or business. Speakers include Carrie Peele of Mako Documents, Crista Samaras of Brave Enterprises, serial entrepreneur Denise Wiggins, Kristie VanAuken of the Research Triangle Foundation and Florida DeVaul-Dudley of Shining Light in Darkness.
Dream Big…Dream STEM Student Conference 2020
February 29, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. @McKimmon Conference and Training Center
This conference is geared toward students 10-16 years old who have an interest in STEM-related fields of study and would like to understand how STEM is used in today’s workplace, leisure and other areas.
Startup Sales & Marketing: Why Even the Greatest Products Don’t Sell Themselves
February 29, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. @The Bullpen
This free workshop will cover sales and marketing for startups. Lunch will be provided.