Want to find out what’s new in the Chatham business community? Interested in building practical professional skills for growing your business or brand? Would you like to meet other entrepreneurs, founders or local service providers? Innovate Carolina is partnering with 79º West – the new innovation hub and coworking space at Chatham Park – to provide a series of workshops that helps you do all of the above.
These workshops are free and open to anyone in the Chatham community. They’re hosted by Innovate Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill’s central team for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development, which will introduce you to practitioners and subject experts from the university and community partner organizations. Each 90-minute session will consist of a 30-minute lesson, 30-minutes of hands-on practice with experienced instructors, and 30-minutes of networking.
Our fall series of workshops includes a panel discussion to celebrate the success and resiliency of the Latinx community, a workshop on funding options for small businesses and ventures, and a panel discussion on food, farming and social innovation.
Anyone with early-stage ideas, young ventures, small businesses, or an interest in coworking or warehousing space is invited to sign up and stop by. Join us and jump into the fun of these networking and skill-building sessions.
Upcoming Events
Dec. 9: Lunch With the Experts
Join us for lunch, round-table discussions and free advice for your idea or company. During these discussions, members of Innovate Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill’s team for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development, will rotate among tables to greet you. Discover a variety of services and how to get started in: customer and market research, market landscaping and funding research, marketing communications, strategic partner and investor engagement.
Learn more and register
Previous Events
Oct. 12: Funding Options for Your Business
In this session, former founder and bootstrapper entrepreneur Neal McTighe will moderate a lively panel that explores various ways you can fund your business. Neal is currently the Center Director for the SBTDC (Small Business and Technology Development Center) at UNC-Chapel Hill and works to help small businesses thrive.
Oct. 26: Food, Farming and Social Innovation
Did you know farming can be therapeutic? Or that a growing business based in Durham is working to end food waste? Have you heard of a UNC-based startup that makes sure people have access to healthy foods, even in a “food deserts?” Hear from a panel of farmers and food-related business owners as they discuss how what we eat makes a broader impact locally and throughout North Carolina.
Nov. 9: Carolina Startup Connect – Internship Meet-and-Greet + Celebration of Diverse Founders Panel
Carolina Startup Connect offers students and startups an event that give students learning and career development opportunities with high-growth startup companies, social ventures and innovative opportunities in central North Carolina. Think career fair …but not! No suits or resumes here. Students should come prepare to mingle with a diverse group of businesses and founders in a casual environment. Local companies and nonprofits that are eager to work with talented students from UNC-Chapel Hill and Central Carolina Community College through internship and employment are given a free opportunity to post their jobs and mingle with candidates. This event will be held on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.