AI-based workforce training startup Skillmaker has officially closed its seed funding round with $4.5 million in total, an amount officials say is oversubscribed.  The Carolina Beach-based company plans to use the capital to continue deploying its auto tech training program in partnership with NAPA Auto Care, grow its team and extend its training platform into othe ...

For most aspiring entrepreneurs in the Wilmington area, Jim Roberts is an entry point into a broadening network of founders, mentors and, of course, capital. The founder of the Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW) and Wilmington Angels for Local Entrepreneurs (WALE), Roberts is vocal about Wilmington’s potential as a thriving hub for startups and tech com ...

Cybersecurity threats in 2026 look more like organized international crime rings running revenue operations than a hacker in a hoodie trying to crack a network, according to Barrett Earney, founder and CEO of Wilmington-based Earney IT. Cybercrime hit home locally when two cyberattacks on the town of Carolina Beach resulted in the theft of nearly $500,000 in December. ...

University laboratories are where ideas are born, yet they are often the most overlooked economic engines in North Carolina. These labs are incubators for the next generation of biotechnology. As a faculty member who transitioned from academia to the world of startups, I have learned that the journey from a discovery to a real-world product is about more than just brill ...

Sean Desmond, president and CEO of cloud banking software firm nCino, said he hadn’t planned on becoming the leader of one of Wilmington’s largest homegrown startups. “I never had a stated career goal to be the CEO,” Desmond said. “I’m a big believer in focusing on what’s right in front of you. Solve the biggest problem that you ...

For prospective homebuyers looking to picture themselves in a residence before committing to a property visit, Hive Multiple Listing Service’s public-facing website now has advanced tools to virtually customize interiors. Consumers can digitally repaint or add paneling to walls, audition flooring and countertops and experiment with various popular furniture styles ...

Here is a look at upcoming events of interest to the region’s tech and startup industry. To share an event, email [email protected].  June 10 Every week, UNCW’s CIE hosts 1 Million Cups Wilmington, a forum for entrepreneurs to pitch to and learn from their peers. This week's presentation features Blue Horizon Innovations. Cl ...

Vantaca, a Wilmington-based AI-first community association software company, introduced an agentic artificial intelligence suite earlier this month, featuring various agents that manage financial production, association onboarding and other tasks. HOAi Fleet is Vantaca’s collection of AI agents designated to manage “the full operational back office of a ...

Corning Incorporated announced on Monday a long-term, multibillion-dollar deal with Amazon to produce optical fiber for the company's data centers. The partnership would create 1,000 new jobs at Corning's North Carolina facilities. The partnership is also expected to generate hundreds of new construction jobs to support the expansion of Corning facilities, ...

Greenlight Ventures, a healthcare venture platform based in Wilmington, recently entered into a strategic partnership with Houston-based Nexalin Technology (NXL), a non-invasive medical device company.  The partnership follows Nexalin’s acquisition of PONM, a digital health platform, from Greenlight Ventures in a $1.3 million stock transaction.  Accor ...