IT WAS A WILLINGNESS TO TAKE CHANCES that led Dan Brawley to create the now long-running Wilmington-based annual film festival, Cucalorus.

With that same spirit of experimentation, Brawley—working with local gamechangers CloudWyze, tekMountain and UNC-Wilmington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), as well as city officials—launched Cucalorus Connect, a first-of-its-kind emerging business conference and showcase, in 2015.

Modeled after South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, Cucalorus Connect was inspired in part by the evolving downtown landscape—particularly in the northern end, where hotels, restaurants and apartments continue to be built along the waterfront—and incubators like tekMountain and the CIE that have helped shape the Cape Fear region as a supportive scene for start-ups.

In its first year, Connect, now held annually in November alongside Cucalorus Film Festival, collectively drew 17,000 people from around the globe. Those numbers grew to nearly 18,000 last year, as founding partners continue to be actively involved in the conference.

The CIE, for example, is both a sponsor and a key participant. Laura Brogdon- Primavera, Manager of Programs and Operations, has championed Cucalorus Connect from the very beginning and engages other CIE staff and UNCW students in this annual effort. She plans and participates in many of the panels, TED-style talks, documentaries and workshop programs during the five-day event.

The aim is simple—to provide a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs and a setting in which innovators and business leaders can network and share ideas.

Among the more unique offerings are the 10 x 10 Challenge, which pairs start-ups and filmmakers to create a promo video in just a few days, and Port City Pitches, a chance for start-ups to earn initial funding to introduce their ideas into the marketplace.

The 2017 Cucalorus Film Festival and Connect conference will be held from Nov. 8–12 at various venues in downtown Wilmington.