| UNC-CH
After six years, 250 local companies mentored and more than $430 million in capital raised by these companies, a partnership Carolina made with three other Triangle universities and the Blackstone Charitable Foundation is about to enter a new phase.
The Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network –RTP not only has accomplished what it set out to achieve in the Research Triangle Park, but the foundation has also used that success to prove that these results can be replicated in other communities.
The network will celebrate its accomplishments and mark the start of this new phase with a July 20 event on the Carolina campus. The event will feature remarks by Blackstone Executive Director Amy Stursberg, Chancellor Carol L. Folt, Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development Judith Cone and Bryan McGann, executive director for Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network–RTP.
“While North Carolina was still recovering from the chilling Great Recession, the Blackstone Charitable Foundation envisioned a high-growth future here and followed its idea up by investing in exciting, innovative and collaborative work among universities in this region,” Folt said. “Thanks to the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, we have connected the dots by bringing experienced entrepreneurs and their networks together with crackerjack entrepreneurs at our universities who are working on exciting new products and services. This launch pad has been very successful in creating jobs, growth and economic opportunities in the Triangle and across our state and nation.