The Innovators: The disruptors shaking things up and getting the region to see things in a different way
Chris Babcock
CEO, Apiture
Chris Babcock has continually led Wilmington-based fintech company Apiture to accolades since his appointment as CEO in 2019. The company started in 2017 as a joint venture between First Data Corporation and Live Oak Bank.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: Apiture continues to attract new banks and credit unions to its Digital Banking Platform.
In August, Apiture announced that CSI had entered into an agreement to acquire the company, a transaction expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year. This acquisition positions CSI as the only core provider with a premier digital banking offering. (CSI also acquired Velocity Solutions, another Wilmington-based company, in 2024.)
This year, under Babcock’s leadership, the company introduced a new AI-powered online and mobile user interface designed to deliver a predictive, personalized banking experience to account holders of community banks and credit unions.
Apiture also launched Fintech Connector, a platform enabling fintech partners to integrate directly with Apiture’s Consumer Banking and Business Banking solutions without custom integration.
INDUSTRY ACCOLADES: Some of Apiture’s awards this year were: Breadth of Functionality Winner and Functionality Standout, Small Business Digital Banking as well as Functionality Standout, Retail Digital Banking in the XCelent Awards and finalists in the Banking Tech Awards USA’s Best Digital Banking System, Community Banks/Credit Unions.
Alison Baringer
Executive Director, N.C. Azalea Festival
Alison Baringer serves as head of the N.C. Azalea Festival, where she recently marked 20 years with the organization.
WHY SHE’S AN INNOVATOR: The annual springtime event has blossomed into a year-round endeavor and expanded programming under Baringer’s leadership.
In 2025, the festival achieved a record milestone of $1 million in sponsorship sales.
The N.C. Azalea Festival operates with a year-round staff of four and coordinates over 1,000 volunteers. Each April, the festival contributes more than $50 million in economic stimulus to the region while encouraging volunteerism and civic participation.
Since Baringer’s leadership began, the festival has transitioned from a volunteer-run organization to a professionally managed, year-round entity.
During her time with the organization, Baringer has overseen two major concert venue transitions, guided the festival through the pandemic and introduced online ticketing and social media engagement. It also has expanded its event lineup with new additions including the Aces for Azaleas Volleyball Tournament, Azalea Golf Classic, Chefs’ Showcase, Jingle, Pet Royalty Photo Contest, Queen’s Dance Party, Tunes & Bloom and, in 2026, its first-ever pickleball tournament called Dink if You Dare.
ON BOARD: Baringer serves on the International Festivals & Events Association World Board of Directors and the UNCW Foundation board.
Umar Bowers
President & Medical Director, Dawson Med Primary Care and Urgent Care
Physician Umar Bowers launched Dawson Med Primary Care and Urgent Care with his wife and nurse practitioner Tiffany Bowers in 2021.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: The medical practice on Dawson Street has seen year-over-year growth.
Bowers was featured by the health technology company Suki for early adoption and use of generative AI as a clinical assistant, a practice that has contributed to reducing physician burnout nationally.
He serves as chair of the region’s Health Talent Alliance, a collaboration between the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, SEAHEC and regional employers. Statewide, the N.C. Health Talent Alliance is a public-private collaboration bringing together the NC Chamber Foundation and the NC Center on the Workforce for Health to create a talent pipeline to recruit and retain nurses and other health care professionals to offset staffing shortfalls.
Locally the regional health care employer collaborative represents Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover and Pender counties.
Bowers also is vice chair of the UNCW College of Health and Human Services Advisory Committee and an appointed adjunct faculty member at UNCW, where he and his team mentor and precept students pursuing careers in medicine, public health and advanced practice.
INDEPENDENT WORK: Bowers serves as an ambassador for Aledade, a national health tech company supporting independent primary care practices. He has made multiple trips to Capitol Hill to discuss the importance of primary care in reducing health care expenses.
Brett Caines
CEO, Lumos Technologies Inc.
As CEO and co-founder, along with Stephen Hayes and Youri Nelson, of Lumos Technologies, which does business as Lumos Data, Brett Caines leads an 18-member team to accomplish the company’s mission of expanding financing for small businesses.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: Lumos Technologies develops predictive credit risk models for small business lenders, aiming to expand access to financing through more efficient and accurate assessments.
Lumos Technologies provides solutions that allow financial institutions to better serve small businesses, which historically have struggled to obtain loans while maintaining financial return. Approximately 93% of U.S. small businesses seeking financing request loans under $1 million, representing a substantial need that Lumos’ technology addresses.
The company has completed pre-seed and seed round investments.
During his final semester at UNCW while earning his MBA, he was introduced to Live Oak Bank’s Chip Mahan and Lee Williams and subsequently joined the organizing team for Live Oak Bank. He spent 15 years at Live Oak Bank, including 11 years as CFO, before leaving in late 2021 to launch Lumos.
CEA YEAR: Earlier this year, Lumos was named the Coastal Entrepreneur Award winner in the Technology category.
Robin Cowie
Founder & CEO, Skillmaker.ai
Robin Cowie is the founder of Skillmaker.AI, a company that combines XR technologies – including immersive technologies like virtual reality and mixed reality – with artificial intelligence to reduce the time it takes to train workers.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: Cowie launched the workforce training platform earlier this year and has attracted funding and tech awards.
Skillmaker.ai applies immersive technology and AI to practical training, providing technicians with hands-on experience in a virtual environment. The company works with the NAPA Autotech XcceleratoR to expand opportunities for local repair shops and their employees. Skillmaker’s platform enables automotive technicians to gain certification more efficiently, supporting workforce development in the automotive repair sector.
Cowie said the platform can cut down the time it takes to train an auto technician from two years to 25 days.
In August, the company announced the closing of its $2.5 million pre-seed funding round. Skillmaker said it would use the funds to expand its XR enabled training through NAPA stores and to broaden its curriculum to other trades.
ENTERTAINMENT CV: Cowie’s background includes work in film, including as a producer for
The Blair Witch Project movie and for Madden NFL in the gaming industry.
Ben Currin & Dave Sweyer
CEO/Founder, Vantaca
Vantaca's platform enables community associations to run more efficiently by automating administrative burdens, potentially lowering costs for homeowners while improving service quality.
WHY THEY’RE INNOVATORS: In October, the company started by Dave Sweyer in 2016, achieved unicorn status following a more-than-$300 million minority growth investment at a $1.25 billion valuation.
Under Ben Currin’s leadership, the company deployed agentic AI capabilities that automate administrative processes, including invoice approvals, accounting workflows, payment processing and financial reporting. The platform has automated over one million tasks, saving customers more than 100,000 hours and generating over $3 million in cost savings.
The acquisition and integration of HOAi in 2024 became foundational to Vantaca’s AI-first platform.
Vantaca serves more than 500 management companies representing 6 million households nationwide.
The company expanded its footprint with a Bay Area office to attract AI talent while maintaining its Wilmington headquarters.
It achieved 95% year-over-year revenue growth while remaining profitable and was recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for the fifth consecutive year.
POST INVESTMENT: Sweyer remains the largest shareholder and an active board member following the investment round.
Barrett Earney
Founder & CEO, Earney IT/Partner & CEO, Earney Accountants & Advisors
Barrett Earney leads both Earney Accountants & Advisors and Earney IT, a managed service provider.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: In 2025, Earney IT earned a national nomination for the MSP Titan Award for the Southeast, received the Best of IT 2025 Clearly Rated award, and surpassed 130 five-star Google reviews. Earney IT maintained CX Certification, and Earney spoke at a national IT conference on client customer service experience.
This year, Earney moved its tax, CAAS and administrative teams into 13,000 square feet of new space for the company alongside a larger footprint for EarneyIT.
Across both organizations, he has accelerated adoption of AI and automation tools to improve efficiency and accuracy and launched initiatives to enhance customer service and communication.
COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS: Earney’s team participates in the annual community service initiative Work on Wilmington, sponsors and volunteers with Paws for People and serves as a site for students on field trips for the Career and Leadership Development Academy program.
David Fioravanti
CEO & Principal, Infinite Structures
Infinite Structures specializes in designing, manufacturing and installing modular structures for entertainment, government and commercial uses. The structures, which are made from steel or aluminum, are unique because they collapse to allow easier transport.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: This year, David Fioravanti led the company through a period of significant product advancement and major project execution. In 2024, the company designed and prototyped the Infinite Cube System, a modular structure. In 2025, Infinite Structures delivered installations for global events, demonstrating the scalability and performance of the Infinite Cube System.
Those projects included Super Bowl LIX, where the company supported FOX Sports’ broadcast compound; VIP activations at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival; Live Nation artist and VIP hospitality builds at Rogers Stadium in Toronto; and FOX Sports operations at the Indy 500. Additional installations supported FOX Sports coverage of the FIFA Men’s World Cup, the FOX Sports One Year Kickoff event, Shaun White’s The Snow League in Aspen, the FIFA Club Cup and a premium event structure at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
ORG CHART: Recognizing a void in the events marketplace, Fioravanti’s business partners Mike Zorena and Bryan Perl founded Infinite Structures in April 2024. Fioravanti joined Infinite Structures as CEO in September 2024. Fioravanti, Zorena and Perl each serve as the company’s principals, with Zorena as the company’s president and Perl overseeing manufacturing.
Drew Harrison
Founder & CEO, Synaptigen
Drew Harrison founded Synaptigen in December 2024. The startup is a consulting group for small- and mid-sized CROs and “first and foremost, we are a patient advocacy group,” Harrison has said in describing the company.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: Harrison developed a platform for toxicokinetic, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic statistical analysis that allows Synaptigen to produce reports in one day instead of the previous four-six weeks. This accelerated process supports the company’s goal of helping bring new therapeutics to patients faster during drug development and across preclinical and clinical trials.
Harrison has also advanced new sponsorship efforts aimed at driving more capital to coastal startups and has been involved with organizations including UNCW CIE. His advocacy work includes addressing rare disease medication costs, speaking on Capitol Hill about legislation and contributing to awareness efforts through the podcast Beyond the Data.
Synaptigen continues to expand by hiring locally, including individuals living with rare diseases, with the intention of creating employment opportunities that may help people transition from Medicaid to private insurance while maintaining access to high-cost medications. The company participates in legislative discussions regarding income thresholds connected to assistance programs and supports proposals intended to increase these thresholds.
Harrison’s work also includes promoting patient integration in biotech and CRO processes early in drug development. Synaptigen offers opportunities for patients to share firsthand perspectives during proposal development, protocol design and decisions related to study feasibility. The company also consults on patient engagement tools, trial structure and methods to reduce burden on patients and support teams throughout clinical trials.
WHAT’S IN A NAME: Synaptigen takes its name from synaptogenesis, the process of forming new synapses.
Jeff James
CEO, Wilmington Health
Jeff James has served as head of Wilmington Health, the region’s largest independent multi-specialty physician practice, since 2008. It now has about 1,100 employees.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: James’ recent work includes leading the creation of a new type of health care organization known as a Strategic Services Organization. This developing model incorporates elements of a traditional health care Management Services Organization while expanding into population health implementation as a strategic advantage for health systems.
It also includes efforts to align independent physicians across the country in Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) designed to maximize savings for health care payors while supporting improvements in outcomes and patient engagement.
James participated in designing the first commercial ACO in North Carolina to support population health. That ACO has since grown to include more than 130,000 members across three states. In parallel, he is leading the development of a national direct-to-employer strategy that connects employers with the highest performing physicians within a region to help reduce health care costs.
James also contributed to creating one of the first national Accountable Care Collaboratives, bringing together several health care organizations to work on patient outcomes, per-capita cost of care and patient experience. Another ongoing effort is the “band of the willing,” a consortium of high-performing, independent physician groups intended to combine core competencies to accelerate shared initiatives.
RESEARCH TOOL: James created Innovo Research, recognized as the nation’s first clinically integrated research network. Innovo includes more than 2,000 physicians, nearly 5 million patients and operations in eight states, using clinical research as a population health tool.
Randall Johnson
Executive Director, Southeastern Office, N.C. Biotechnology Center
Randall Johnson advances life sciences technology and economic development in the region by connecting with key stakeholders and supporting business growth.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: In his role, Johnson engages with national and international companies exploring relocation, expansion or startup opportunities in the region, most recently involving an international company with a marine biotechnology focus.
NC Biotech continues to work with partners across economic development and workforce development, including support for companies such as Frontier Scientific Solutions as it expands cold storage capacity and cold chain logistics operations. Johnson also remains involved with multiple statewide initiatives connected to the NC Biotech Venture Challenge, helping participating companies advance through funding, commercialization, and partnership opportunities.
Johnson serves as acting board chair of the N.C. Community Colleges Foundation for 2025–27, working with statewide partners to pursue programs that support student access and success in high-demand industries. Recent work includes supporting a $35.6 million grant from Arnold Ventures for the BOOST program at 15 community colleges, including Cape Fear Community College. Regional training efforts also advanced through the first local Biowork program completion and the launch of a biotechnology program at Cape Fear Academy.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: As founding board chair of the NCEDA Foundation, he led efforts to create “Advancing NC: Empowering Leaders, Strengthening Communities,” an initiative to build connections between economic development professionals and community leaders.
Nik Morton
CEO, Catalyst
This year, Nik Morton finished his second year as CEO of Catalyst Clinical Research. Founded in 2013, Catalyst Clinical Research is a clinical research organization serving the global biopharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: Morton’s work builds on nearly 35 years in clinical development, collaborating with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to design and deliver clinical trials for new medicines.
Catalyst Clinical Research includes a specialist oncology division engaged in more than 100 clinical trials with over 60 biotech organizations. The division supports studies involving immunotherapy, cell and gene therapy, targeted therapy and radiopharmaceuticals.
Through its oncology and clinical trial management work, Catalyst supports research into approaches intended to address a range of medical needs.
Catalyst continues to prioritize programs that align business operations with community involvement. The organization supports local nonprofits and encourages employee participation in service efforts.
Catalyst this year received awards for Best Place to Work and Excellence in Clinical Trial Management.
GROWTH MODE: Catalyst ranked No. 3,833 on this year’s national Inc. 5000 list with a 98% growth rate over the past three years.
Zeke Nathans & Dynh Lee
Owners, Chow Town
Chow Town, Wilmington’s first food truck park at 1101 N. Fourth St., officially opened its doors in early August.
WHY THEY’RE INNOVATORS: Owners Zeke Nathans and Dynh Lee opened Chow Town as a new concept for Wilmington’s dining scene after seeing food truck parks in other parts of the country.
The outdoor plaza features parking for multiple food trucks and a grass-covered outdoor area for dining and events. Plans also include an on-site commissary kitchen and space for selling beer, wine and other concessions.
Nathans, a general contractor, said he worked on the project for two years, overseeing its creation from concept to opening day, guiding the development process and preparing the space for use as a community-focused venue. Nathans’ role at Chow Town includes managing operations and supporting the business’s mission to serve as a gathering place for families and residents.
Chow Town also adds to Le’s existing portfolio of local ventures. In 2025, Le marked eight years of operating Tap Tea Bar and 10 years of owning GDN Nail Bar. He also began franchising Tap Tea Bar, which has expanded to five locations with additional growth underway.
APPLICANTS: Food truck owners can apply for space through an online system where they submit menus, photos and a deposit to secure their spot. Once approved, they pay a 15% commission on total sales, which covers use of the space, power, water, trash services and marketing support.
Leslie Smith & Kelly Reynolds
Developer & Managing Director, Cargo District
Leslie Smith developed Wilmington’s Cargo District, which began in 2017 and includes parts of Queen, Castle, 15th, 16th and 17th streets, along with areas on Wrightsville Avenue. Co-owner Kelly Reynolds serves as managing director.
WHY THEY’RE INNOVATORS: The upcycled cargo container neighborhood continued to expand this year.
In 2025, Reynolds oversaw several major projects within Wilmington’s Cargo District, including the opening of the Cargo West Food Court. The food court continues to expand, with new restaurants being added as construction progresses.
Planning is underway for Phase II of Cargo West, scheduled to begin in 2026.
The Cargo District is divided into three distinct sections – Cargo East, Cargo West and Cargo Central. Together, they are products of “cargotecture,” or “the act of taking old cargo containers and repurposing them to build more efficient and sustainable residential, business, or industrial buildings,” according to the Cargo District website. Rent varies widely, Smith said, from $400 to $15,000 a month, depending on the size of the space.
ELSEWHERE: Reynolds said the company has broadened its construction and service initiatives throughout Wilmington this year, extending beyond the Cargo District.
Steve Uebele
CEO, Frontier Scientific Solutions
Frontier Scientific Solutions was founded in 2022 and saw a major change in its scope this year.
WHY HE’S AN INNOVATOR: In 2025, Steve Uebele led the company through a year of significant expansion in the life sciences logistics sector. The company, which achieved ISO certification, launched full operations at its Ireland location, establishing a key European hub for temperature-controlled pharmaceutical logistics. As part of its broader global growth strategy, the company advanced Phase 2 of its Wilmington development, which includes creating an advanced packaging and labeling facility to support existing storage and distribution capabilities.
In Ireland, Phase 2 of the company’s expansion in Shannon is underway, involving the development of a GMP-compliant packaging and distribution facility intended to serve European clients. Frontier Scientific Solutions also inaugurated dedicated life-science air lanes between the United States and Europe, enabling more direct and reliable transportation of temperature-sensitive materials.
Frontier Scientific Solutions is preparing a 500,000-square-foot airside storage and distribution center at Wilmington International Airport. This facility is designed to function as a global gateway for pharmaceutical and biotech supply chains.
HIRING PLANS: The company’s growth is projected to create more than 100 new jobs in Wilmington across operations, logistics, quality and management.
Evonne Varady & Don Varady
Founders, Clean Eatz
Don and Evonne Varady started their first Clean Eatz location off of Racine Drive in 2013. Two years later, the couple began franchising the healthy-meals business, which is part restaurant and part meals plan program. In 2024, they opened up its company headquarters in renovated space on Oleander Drive.
WHY THEY’RE INNOVATORS: This year, Clean Eatz received multiple national recognitions, including being ranked No. 1 on Entrepreneur’s 2025 Best of the Best Franchises list. The company also placed No. 293 on the Franchise Times Top 400 list and No. 493 on Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500.
Evonne Varady received WILMA’s Women to Watch Award in the Business category this year.
The company is currently searching for real estate to launch a new project to all its owners from Wilmington.
Clean Eatz marked its 10-year anniversary as a franchise brand in 2025 and reached 100 units – an achievement accomplished by fewer than 5% of franchises nationwide.
OUTDOOR PURSUITS: The couple also owns a new venue on 400 acres that hosts weddings, retreats and team events.
Read more about the 2025 WilmingtonBiz 100 honorees by clicking here.
