Print
Entrepreneurs

New Event To Focus On Business Of Innovation

By Audrey Elsberry, posted Sep 22, 2023
On Tuesday, members of Wilmington’s startup community are scheduled to attend The Business of Innovation workshop.

The event is being hosted by the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) in partnership with the Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC).
 
The workshop is a new event for the center, said Heather McWhorter, CIE’s director. Its goal is to help the next generation of innovators that are tech and science based. She said she hopes the workshop can teach innovators how to navigate issues such as intellectual property rights and connect new founders with those who have succeeded in the innovation scene.
 
Panelists at the event include founders of Wilmington-based biotechnology startups: David Reeser of OpiAID and Will Baird of Boreas Monitoring Solutions.
 
Also in attendance will be members of the Department of Commerce, Reeser said, and investors may come to connect with budding entrepreneurs. There will be workshops discussing funding resources in the state, angel investors and incentive programs, according to the SBTDC website.
 
“Wilmington is specially positioned that if we can get more resources, more capital, into our ecosystem,” Reeser said, “the bright minds we have here will be able to produce results.”
 
Attending the CIE event  Tuesday is an opportunity for Baird to share his experience with others going through the same thing, he said. There is a sense of comradery between those who have started their own businesses, he said.
 
The two founders will sit on a panel with other local innovation leaders, answering questions about building a business from the ground up, sharing challenges, fundraising and other aspects of the innovation ecosystem, Reeser said.
 
“Everybody has something to teach and something to learn,” he said. “I’m going to be there to share my experience of what I’ve walked through, and at the same time, I’m there to learn as well.”
 
Reeser’s OpiAID received a $2.8 million Fast Track grant in May from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The company studies changes in biometrics of those with Opioid Use Disorder when they undergo treatment.
 
Baird founded his company, Boreas Monitoring Solutions, in 2018, he said. He came from Wilmington Reproductive Labs with his new method of monitoring tins used to store human reproductive tissue, often used for IVF or in vitro fertilization.
 
His seat on an expert panel after participating as a mentee in UNCW’s CIE Mentor Program feels like a honor, Baird said. He still feels like his company is in its early stages, but that now is a tipping point for Boreas Monitoring Solutions.
 
His company received a NC IDEA SEED grant of $50,000 in May. The company was one of six in the state to win the grant.
 
Reeser said he is looking forward to interacting with the crowd at the event. He said he hopes the panel creates a conversation with audience members as opposed to those on stage dominating the dialogue.
 
“This is one of the very few times you're ever going to see all the people that know all the different pieces [of the innovation scene] in one room in Wilmington,” he said.
Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Gretchen roberts 2021

From Contracts to Offshoring: 7 Powerful Gross Margin Growth Levers

Gretchen Roberts - Red Bike Advisors
Untitleddesign14 352591554

Managing Uncertainty With Certainty of Execution

David Rizzo - First Carolina Bank
Chris coudriet

New Hanover County’s Fellows Program Aims to Help Those Who Help Others

Chris Coudriet - New Hanover County Government

Trending News

Endowment Grants $1.6M To New Hanover County Amid County Budget Cut Talks

Cece Nunn - Jun 12, 2025

New Hanover County Officials Considering Job Cuts

Cece Nunn - Jun 12, 2025

New Hanover County Adopts 30.6-cent Tax Rate, Eliminates Nearly 100 Jobs

Cece Nunn - Jun 13, 2025

Leland Continues Work On Plan To Attract Jobs

Staff Reports - Jun 13, 2025

Offers Due This Week For City-owned Downtown Land Next To Skyline Center

Emma Dill - Jun 11, 2025

In The Current Issue

Legal Issues Remain For Ferry System Sale

In 2022, Raleigh-based private equity firm SharpVue Capital entered into a contract with Bald Head Island Limited and Bald Head Island Trans...


Live Oak Sets Small Loan Goal

"Live Oak Bank has taken several steps to build out our (Live Oak Express) team, and, to gain efficiency, has created rules and responsibili...


Bespoke Unveils Bar Addition

By leaning into the overall vibe of Italian apertivo drinking culture, Bespoke’s owner, Robby Dow, has developed a new business model for th...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2024 Power Breakfast: The Next Season