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Hello, Friends of First Flight Venture Center,
The past two weeks have been filled with incredible energy, insightful discussions, and inspiring moments that remind us why our innovation ecosystem in North Carolina is so strong. From thought-provoking Itineraries sessions to ecosystem pitch sessions, we continue to witness the power of collaboration and groundbreaking ideas.
This month we were thrilled to welcome LakshmiDevi Ethirajan, co-founder and CEO of SmaBio Labs, to our recent Captain’s Circle event! She shared an inspiring look at how SmaBio helps companies move from the "I think I have something" stage to full-scale operations—accelerating lab work and providing strategic support every step of the way.
Not only did she share invaluable insights, but SmaBio Labs also generously sponsored our lunch! Thank you for your support in fueling both innovation and our community.
Last week also marked the launch of NC AgLeads - Innovation 2.0, a deep dive into the stakeholders shaping North Carolina’s agricultural sector. The study highlighted both opportunities and challenges, capturing insights from farmers, universities, multinational corporations, service providers, and innovation hubs.
A special shout-out to Paul Ulanch and Katherine Drake Stowe for their leadership in helping us envision a stronger future for agriculture innovation. First Flight Venture Center is excited to play a role in driving these advancements and attracting global talent to North Carolina.
Our latest Test Flight pitch session gave two incredible founders the opportunity to refine their presentations and receive invaluable feedback from our dedicated Navigators and ecosystem members.
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Tracey Welson-Rossman, founder of Journal My Health, is leveraging her expertise in technology and non-profits to develop an innovative healthcare solution.
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Chris Bentley is working on a cutting-edge direct-to-chip cooling system for GPU-accelerated AI data centers, drawing from his deep experience in business development and engineering collaborations.
Both founders delivered outstanding pitches, and we can’t wait to see where their ventures go next. A huge thank you to our mentors and community members for your engagement and support!
Andrea Conner, First Flight’s Ecosystem Development Director had the privilege of representing First Flight Venture Center as the moderator for the panel "The Dreamers & Communicators: Capital Creation and Entrepreneurship within the RTP Ecosystem" for the Indus Entrepreneurs Carolina Marquee Event. The sold-out event at Prestonwood Country Club featured experienced founders Bill Spruill, Amit Sharma, Ravish Sachar, MD, FACC, and Sougata Mukherjee, who shared invaluable insights on the journey of entrepreneurship.
Last Friday, on behalf of First Flight, our Programs Manager, Ashley Davis attended NC State’s Pitch to the Pack - Wells Fargo Textile Entrepreneur Pitch event, where she had the honor of presenting the 3rd place award to Sonja Salmon. It’s always exciting to see the next generation of entrepreneurs stepping up and shaping the future.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to empowering innovators, strengthening partnerships, and fostering an ecosystem where groundbreaking ideas take flight.
Thank you to each of you for being a part of this journey!
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