One Wilmington startup has been selected as a semifinalist of the NC IDEA Spring 2021 SEED grant cycle, according to an announcement from NC IDEA. OpiAID is among 25 semifinalists from across the state who were chosen from 174 applications. OpiAID is a life science company that is using data to help rehabilitation centers solve the problem of substance abuse by providin ...

From marine biology research to community coworking, this year’s group of Coastal Entrepreneur Award winners represent a cross section of business activity in the region.   The Coastal Entrepreneur Awards, organized by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal and UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, are intended to “boost entrepreneurs ...

Local chiropractor and entrepreneur Aaron Richardet has a passion for modifying and restoring vehicles.   In 2009, he spent time at his home purchasing older vehicles, taking them apart and selling off the parts as a side business. Over the years, however, that project transformed into a full business, as Richardet later moved the work into a larger space outside hi ...

Aspiring entrepreneurs have a new source of help to launch their venture: the YWCA Lower Cape Fear’s Living the Dream Center for Entrepreneurship. The program will focus on micro-businesses, defined by the YWCA as businesses with no more than five employees and requiring less than $50,000 to start up. The center is also available to help support growth for existin ...

Tiffany Cripps aims to grow the reach of her self-care products and services business with a stand-alone location and additional retail locations.  Health Begins From Within is a one-woman company run by Cripps, who is working out of her Wilmington home. She said she hopes to take advantage of local resources being offered for Health Begins From Within as one ...

Seeing a need for a collaborative space that promotes business growth and community, Michael and Julie Donlon are opening Blue Mind Coworking in Wilmington. The coworking space aims to open March 1 at 301 Government Center Drive, occupying 7,500 square feet of a suite on the second floor of the building. “Once you’ve experienced first-hand the many person ...

The region’s newest coworking space and business accelerator, Genesis Block, is accepting applications for its first small business accelerator cohort. Small, minority and women-owned businesses can apply by Friday for the opportunity to be chosen to participate in the 16-week, Back on the Block Minority Accelerator program. “Our program is designed to dr ...

Wilmington’s Genesis Block is one of eight recipients in the state of an NC BEC ECOSYSTEM grant, with the goal of elevating Black entrepreneurship in North Carolina. Genesis Block, a community collaborative and coworking space that opened in downtown Wilmington this year, received $50,000, said Andrea Cook, director of NC IDEA Foundation, in an email. Recipient ...

Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington has won a grant from NC IDEA to support a new program for local startups and entrepreneurs. NC IDEA announced on Thursday the 17 organizations in the state chosen from 65 applicants that are recipients of the NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM grant. NEW partnered with the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Center for Innovation and ...

Hostess Cakes brought D.J. Oates to North Carolina; fire kept him here, where he founded Optimum Fire & Security six years ago.   Beginning with two employees, he has built the business to more than $5 million in annual revenue and 36 employees working in more than two dozen states on federal, commercial and residential jobs.   The company’s federal ...