Duke Energy is a major utility company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, providing electric and natural gas services to approximately 8.2 million customers across the United States. The company operates regulated utilities in the Carolinas, Indiana, Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky, and has roughly 35,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity. In addition to its core services, Duke Energy manages natural gas distribution for over 1.6 million customers in Ohio and Kentucky. The company also owns and operates diverse power generation assets, including a significant portfolio of renewable energy projects in North America and Latin America. Through its efforts, Duke Energy aims to deliver energy in a sustainable manner while contributing to the economic vitality and resilience of the communities it serves.

Triangle Tweener Fund, established in 2021 and based in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage, high-technology startups within the Triangle area, which includes Raleigh, Durham, and surrounding regions. The firm aims to build a comprehensive index of private company investments that meet its specific 'Tweener List' criteria, targeting promising ventures at a critical stage of their development. By concentrating on seed and early-stage investments, Triangle Tweener Fund seeks to support the growth of innovative companies that have the potential to contribute significantly to the local economy and the tech landscape.

NC IDEA is a nonprofit organization based in Durham, North Carolina, founded in 2005 to support entrepreneurs in starting and growing high-potential companies. It primarily focuses on providing early financing through competitive grants, particularly targeting young, innovative companies in sectors such as biotechnology, cleantech, healthcare information technology, and software. NC IDEA emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in its initiatives and works to serve as a catalyst for the development of technology-driven businesses in the region. In addition to financial support, the organization offers various programs and leverages a network of strategic partners to assist entrepreneurs during critical stages of their ventures.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center, established in 1981, is a private, non-profit organization based in Durham, North Carolina. It is funded by the North Carolina General Assembly with the mission of enhancing biotechnology research, business, and education across the state. Rather than serving as a laboratory for research, the Center focuses on fostering job creation and strengthening the biotechnology sector by providing support and resources to industry stakeholders. Through its initiatives, the Center aims to generate economic and societal benefits for the region, contributing to the advancement of biotechnology in North Carolina.

SECU Foundation is a charitable organization funded by the contributions of SECU members, to help identify and address community issues and promote local and community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of education, housing, healthcare, and human services.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency established in 1950 and based in Alexandria, Virginia. It is dedicated to supporting research and education in science and engineering across a wide range of disciplines. The NSF provides significant non-dilutive funding, up to $1.5 million, to startups and small businesses through its America's Seed Fund initiative, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program mandated by Congress. With an operating budget of approximately $7.8 billion, the NSF is committed to advancing fundamental research and education, thus fostering innovation and technological development in the United States.

Cofounders Capital, established in 2015 and based in Cary, North Carolina, is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage, seed, and startup investments in the Southeast region, particularly North Carolina. The firm specializes in the business-to-business (B2B) software sector, investing an average of $0.3 to $0.4 million per venture. Cofounders Capital takes minority stakes and partners with entrepreneurs to help validate ideas and bring solutions to market. The firm is managed by successful entrepreneurs David Gardner, Tim McLoughlin, and Tobi Walter, supported by a team of over a hundred advisors and mentors who are also investors in the fund.

Founded in 2000, Hatteras Venture Partners is a venture capital firm based in Durham, North Carolina. It specializes in early-stage investments in life sciences and healthcare companies, with a focus on biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostics, and healthcare IT. The firm primarily invests in companies located in the Mid Atlantic and Southeastern United States.

VentureSouth is a venture capital firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in startup and early-stage investments. The firm focuses primarily on manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare sectors, targeting opportunities in the Southeastern United States, particularly the Carolinas and surrounding areas. Since its founding, VentureSouth has developed a network of over 550 investors through various angel investment groups, making it one of the largest organizations of its kind in the country. The firm typically invests between $0.25 million and $2 million for a preferred equity stake of 15% to 35%, aiming for companies that can potentially deliver a 50% annualized rate of return within a 3-5 year timeframe. VentureSouth does not engage in common equity or debt investments, and it rarely invests in convertible debt.

IDEA Fund Partners, established in 2007, is a Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based venture capital firm. It specializes in early-stage investments, focusing on technology-driven companies in the Southeast region of the United States. The firm's investment focus includes sectors such as technology, software, automation, big data, and healthcare. IDEA Fund Partners is known for its experience and active approach, supporting entrepreneurs who are innovating in industries at the early stages of digital transformation, with a particular emphasis on underserved markets.

SOSV, established in 1995 and headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, is a global venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments. It focuses on deep tech innovations in the health and environmental sectors, supporting founders with breakthrough technologies through its HAX and IndieBio startup development programs. SOSV provides resources, facilities, and lab equipment to accelerate product development and scale, with a track record of helping its portfolio companies secure subsequent funding rounds led by top-tier investors.

Alexandria Venture Investments, LLC is a venture capital firm established in 1996 and headquartered in Pasadena, California. It specializes in seed, early-stage, and growth capital investments primarily within the healthcare sector, with a particular emphasis on biopharma, diagnostics, life sciences, agrifood technology, and technology sectors. The firm is recognized for its strategic approach, providing long-term investment capital to innovative companies that are developing transformative technologies and therapies aimed at improving human health. As a subsidiary of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Alexandria Venture Investments leverages its deep industry expertise, extensive relationships with investors, and a world-class scientific advisory network to support and fund promising startups and growth-oriented companies in disruptive life science and technology.

Techstars is a global platform that invests in and supports early-stage technology companies. Founded in 2006, it operates a mentorship-driven accelerator program, providing seed funding, intensive mentorship, and access to a network of investors and entrepreneurs. Techstars has programs in various locations worldwide, including Boston, Boulder, New York, Seattle, London, Chicago, and Austin. It invests $118,000 in each company, with $18,000 in seed funding and an optional $100,000 convertible debt note. Techstars also has industry-specific accelerator programs, such as Techstars Retail and Techstars Music, focusing on retail and music technology, respectively. Its portfolio includes over 1,000 companies with a combined market cap of $8.1 billion.

Bull City Venture Partners is a Durham, North Carolina-based venture capital firm founded in 2012 that makes early-stage investments in technology, healthcare, and related sectors in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic United States. The firm focuses on B2B and tech-enabled businesses across software, mobile, e-commerce, health tech, cloud computing, fintech, internet services, and logistics, providing capital and strategic support, often taking a board seat and helping secure follow-on capital for growth rounds.

Founded in 2012, Rex Health Ventures invests in and partners with early-stage healthcare companies to facilitate innovation and improve patient care. They support the discovery and development of new treatments, tools, products, and services.

Excelerate Health Ventures is a healthcare-focused venture capital firm based in Durham, North Carolina, in the Research Triangle Park area. Founded in 2013, it pursues seed- and early-stage investments in healthcare technology, including healthcare software and digital health, with a preference for SaaS and B2B-enabled solutions. The firm targets opportunities across North America and supports portfolio companies by leveraging a network of strategic partners from pharma, providers, and payers to accelerate adoption and revenue.

Battery Ventures is a technology-focused investment firm founded in 1983 and based in Boston, Massachusetts. It invests through venture capital and private equity, targeting technology companies that can become category-defining leaders in areas including application software, IT infrastructure, consumer internet and mobile services, industrial technologies, and life sciences tools.

Service Provider Capital is a venture capital firm established in 2014 and located in Golden, Colorado. The firm focuses on co-investing in seed and series A rounds, primarily in collaboration with institutional venture funds. It targets a diverse range of sectors, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, cannabis, cybersecurity, e-commerce, education technology, fintech, hardware, information technology, robotics, and health. By concentrating on these industries, Service Provider Capital aims to support innovative companies at critical stages of their development.

IndieBio is an accelerator that supports startups using biology to solve major problems, delivering four-month programs for companies and teams with ideas. Based in San Francisco with an office in New York, it focuses on life sciences, biotechnology and synthetic biology, investing in seed and early-stage ventures that place biology at the core of their technology across products, processes and software. The program favors teams with two or more co-founders and generally provides equity-based funding in the early stages, often combining direct investments with additional financing options. Founded in 2014, IndieBio operates within the SOSV accelerator network, a global platform that supports portfolio companies through mentorship, resources and cross-border programs.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a leading biomedical research facility in the United States, operating under the Department of Health and Human Services. Established in 1887 and based in Bethesda, Maryland, NIH is the primary agency responsible for biomedical and health-related research in the country. It comprises 27 separate institutes and centers, each focusing on different disciplines within biomedical science. NIH conducts its own scientific research through the Intramural Research Program and provides significant funding for research at external institutions via the Extramural Research Program. With a workforce that includes 1,200 principal investigators and over 4,000 postdoctoral fellows, NIH has been instrumental in major medical breakthroughs, such as the development of vaccines for hepatitis and human papillomavirus, as well as the discovery of treatments for various health conditions. As the world's largest source of medical research funding, NIH continues to advance scientific knowledge and contribute to public health improvements.

Tencarva Machinery is a prominent distributor of process equipment and services, catering to industrial and municipal clients across the Southeast United States since 1978. The company specializes in providing a wide range of pumping systems, fluid handling systems, air handling equipment, and liquid process equipment tailored for various industries, including chemical, citrus, paper, textile, and power. In addition to its diverse product offerings, Tencarva also operates repair centers and field service teams capable of servicing most types of rotating process equipment. This comprehensive approach ensures that clients receive reliable and cost-effective solutions that meet their specific application needs.

Intersouth Partners is a Durham, North Carolina-based venture capital firm founded in 1985 that focuses on seed and early-stage investments in technology and life sciences companies. It targets software, semiconductors, communications, digital media, clean technology, and security in technology, and medical devices, biopharmaceuticals, agricultural biotechnology, and biomaterials in life sciences. The firm pursues lead or co-lead roles and aims to participate in the first institutional round with initial investments typically between 0.5 and 8 million dollars, continuing with leadership in later financings and an average total investment around 12 million across rounds. It seeks equity-only investments, takes board seats, and plans to exit investments within two to six years. The firm principally serves the Southeast corridor in the United States, including the DC area, the Research Triangle, Atlanta, and Florida, and invests in companies nationwide.

SoftBank Group is a multinational telecommunications and internet corporation based in Japan. It operates through four segments: mobile communications, Sprint, fixed-line telecommunications, and internet. The company provides a wide range of services, including mobile and fixed-line voice and data transmission services, broadband services, internet advertising, e-commerce, and digital television. SoftBank Group also invests in various technologies through its venture capital arms, such as SoftBank Investment Advisers and SoftBank Vision Fund, focusing on areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things. One of its notable subsidiaries, SoftBank Robotics, designs and manufactures humanoid robots for various applications, including education, healthcare, and business.

leading global alternative asset manager

Carousel Capital, established in 1996, is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based private equity firm specializing in mid-market investments. The firm focuses on partnering with management teams to build leading companies in the business services, consumer services, and healthcare services sectors across the Southeastern United States. Carousel Capital's investor base includes institutional investors and an elite group of over 100 current and former corporate CEOs, who assist in sourcing opportunities and providing strategic support. The firm manages multiple buyout funds, targeting companies with at least $3 million in EBITDA and a 3-5 year investment horizon.

The Aurora Funds, Inc., established in 1994, is a venture capital firm based in Cary, North Carolina, with an additional office in Durham. It specializes in seed and early-stage financings, typically investing in healthcare and information technology companies. Within healthcare, it focuses on biotechnology, medical devices, healthcare services, and healthcare IT. Within IT, it invests in internet infrastructure, software, data communications, semiconductors, and emerging technologies like photonics and nanotechnology. The firm prefers to be the lead or co-lead investor and aims to invest between $50,000 in seed rounds to $8 million across multiple rounds, targeting companies with enterprise values between $2 million and $40 million and EBITDA up to $75 million. It seeks board seats in its portfolio companies and is committed to providing resources to help early-stage companies reach their full potential.

Wolfpack Investor Network (WIN) is an angel investing platform that connects the entrepreneurial community and alumni network of North Carolina State University. Focused on empowering innovative private companies, WIN exclusively invests in portfolio companies that have an affiliation with NC State and are based in the United States. By leveraging its extensive network, WIN fosters collaboration and support among entrepreneurs and investors, aiming to drive the growth of businesses that are poised to shape the future.

Founded in 1871, Truist is a banking organization headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It offers a wide range of consumer and commercial financial services including retail banking, small business lending, asset management, insurance, mortgage lending, investment brokerage services, wealth management, asset-based lending, commercial mortgage lending, leasing, payment solutions, supply chain financing, and commercial deposit services.

GE Equity invests in established companies with high growth potential, focusing on minority ownership positions across various industries such as healthcare, energy, oil & gas, water, transportation, and aviation. They provide growth capital, buy-out co-investments, secondary direct purchases, recapitalizations, and LP investments.

Alumni Ventures Group is a venture capital firm based in Manchester, New Hampshire, with offices across North America. It provides access to venture investing for individual accredited investors, particularly alumni networks, by offering diversified portfolios of venture opportunities and allowing members to invest alongside fellow alumni in ventures led by peers. The firm backs early-stage and later-stage opportunities across technology, consumer, healthcare, financial services, and other sectors, with a sector- and geography-agnostic approach. It typically invests between $10,000 and $3 million per deal and emphasizes the involvement of alumni connections and an institutional lead investor in opportunities. Alumni Ventures also offers focused funds to broaden participation, enabling accredited investors to access venture portfolios diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. The model aims to democratize access to venture capital while maintaining rigorous selection standards through alumni networks.

Pappas Capital, LLC, established in 1994, is a venture capital firm headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, with an additional office in San Diego, California. The firm specializes in investing in the life science sector, focusing on biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, drug delivery, medical devices, and related ventures. Pappas Capital provides capital from seed stage to later-stage mezzanine transactions, typically investing between $0.1 million and $6 million. The firm prefers to invest in North America, with a significant portion of its capital deployed in California and the East Coast, including the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Pappas Capital also considers investments in Asia. The firm acts as a lead or co-lead investor for many of its portfolio companies, supporting them through Series A and B rounds of financing, and from preclinical stages to Phase 3 clinical trials. Pappas Capital operates through three main business lines: Pappas Ventures, Specialized Fund Management, and Translational Medicine.

The Carlyle Group, established in 1987, is a global alternative asset manager with a diverse investment portfolio. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the firm invests in corporate private equity, real assets, global market strategies, and investment solutions. Carlyle's private equity investments span various sectors, including aerospace, defense, healthcare, technology, and retail, among others. The firm manages multiple fund families, catering to early and later-stage companies, and employs a long-term value creation strategy. Carlyle's real estate investments focus on opportunistic and core funds, targeting sectors such as industrial, manufacturing, and commercial services. The firm's global presence extends to North America, Europe, Asia, and Japan, with regional offices in key financial hubs.

Sustainable Food Ventures is a venture capital firm based in Durham, North Carolina, founded in 2020. It invests in early-stage food technology companies worldwide, focusing on cell-based, plant-based, and recombinant food products.

Orlando Health is a prominent private, not-for-profit healthcare network located in Orlando, Florida. It serves nearly two million residents of Central Florida, along with approximately 4,500 international visitors each year. The organization is recognized for its comprehensive range of facilities, advanced medical treatments, and a highly qualified staff, positioning it as a leader in the healthcare sector. Orlando Health is committed to delivering high-quality care and improving health outcomes in the community it serves.

Founded in 1986, Morningside Group is a venture capital firm based in Newton, Massachusetts. The firm seeks to invest in companies operating in the technology, internet and biotechnology sectors.

Greycroft is a venture capital firm established in 2006, headquartered in New York, with an additional office in Los Angeles. The firm focuses on early-stage investments in technology startups, primarily in the internet and mobile markets. Greycroft leverages its extensive network in media and technology to provide entrepreneurs with visibility, strategic relationships, and market access to build successful businesses. With over $1 billion in assets under management, Greycroft has invested in over 200 companies, including notable successes like Venmo, Acorns, and Bird. The firm is committed to diversity, having adopted the Diversity Term Sheet Rider.

Enhanced Capital, established in 1999, is a New York-based investment firm managing over $400 million. It specializes in providing flexible equity and debt financing to small and mid-sized businesses, promoting their growth and expansion. The firm's investment approach is practical and tailored, aiming to maximize the growth potential of companies poised for rapid growth. Enhanced Capital also invests in renewable energy, historic real estate rehabilitation, and affordable housing projects, often leveraging federal and state incentive programs.

The U.S. Department of Energy is a government agency established in 1977, located in Washington, D.C. Its primary mission is to ensure the security and prosperity of the nation by tackling energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges. The Department focuses on promoting transformative scientific and technological solutions to address these issues, thereby supporting the country's energy needs and environmental sustainability.

Google.org is a philanthropic arm of Google, a multinational technology company. It funds and supports nonprofits globally, providing them with funding, tools, and volunteers. Google.org has committed approximately $100 million annually to these efforts, aiming to extend the reach of innovative nonprofits and create lasting global impact.

OSF Ventures, established in 2015, is the corporate venture arm of OSF HealthCare, a not-for-profit Catholic health care corporation serving Illinois and Michigan since 1877. OSF Ventures invests financially and operationally in healthcare startups, focusing on health information technology, medical devices, therapeutics, diagnostics, and technology-enabled delivery services. Their mission aligns with OSF HealthCare's commitment to improving patient outcomes, enhancing patient experience, and reducing healthcare costs. OSF Ventures employs a strategic, collaborative approach, not only investing financially but also providing operational support to foster innovation and compassionate care.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is a global investment firm established in 1976, headquartered in New York. It manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, and credit. Through strategic partnerships, KKR also invests in hedge funds. The firm employs a patient and disciplined approach, focusing on long-term value creation and generating attractive returns for its fund investors across various sectors such as business services, consumer products, energy, financial services, and technology.

Sapphire Sport I, established in 2019, is an early-stage venture capital fund managed by Sapphire Ventures, a global software-focused firm with over $11 billion in assets under management. Based in Austin, Texas, Sapphire Sport I invests in the United States, Europe, and Israel, targeting the intersection of sport, media, and entertainment technology. The fund, with a commitment of $115 million, aims to back 5 to 6 companies, investing between $3 to $7 million each, to address the broader sport technology markets.

Piedmont Capital Investments is a venture capital firm established in 2020 and located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The firm specializes in investing in transformative companies within the science and technology sectors. By focusing on innovative and impactful businesses, Piedmont Capital Investments aims to support the growth and development of ventures that have the potential to make significant contributions to their respective industries.

RTP Capital Associates is an angel network based in Durham, North Carolina, founded in 2010. The firm is composed of accredited investors who invest their own capital and focuses on seed and early-stage investments. RTP Capital Associates primarily targets companies in technology-centric and low-tech execution-driven sectors within the North Carolina region.

Silicon Valley Bank, established in 1983, is a leading commercial bank headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It specializes in providing a wide array of financial services, including banking, treasury management, and international banking, to innovative technology, life science, and premium wine businesses, as well as venture capital and private equity firms. With a global presence through 27 U.S. offices and seven international operations, the bank leverages its industry knowledge, connections, and world-class service to support the success of its clients.

General Atlantic is a private equity growth and expansion firm founded in 1980 and headquartered in New York. It provides growth capital and strategic support to growth companies across sectors including software and services, technology, consumer, financial services, healthcare, and manufacturing, with a long-term investment horizon and a collaborative approach. The firm maintains a global footprint with offices in Stamford, Palo Alto, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Amsterdam, London, Munich, Jakarta, Mumbai, Singapore, Mexico City, Sao Paulo and other major markets to partner with management teams and build market-leading businesses.

Live Oak Bank, established in 2008 and located in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a commercial bank that specializes in providing financial services to small and medium-sized businesses across various industries, including veterinary practices, agriculture, pharmacy, and healthcare. The bank offers a range of FDIC-insured banking products designed to support business growth, such as loans for buying, building, and expanding operations, as well as high-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit. In addition to traditional banking services, Live Oak Bank provides business advisory services and education to empower entrepreneurs and enhance their financial acumen. The company is committed to delivering a customer-centric experience that distinguishes it from typical banking institutions.

Established in 1999, Golden LEAF Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It focuses on expanding economic opportunity in North Carolina's rural and tobacco-dependent communities through grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship.

First Citizens Bank is a full-service banking institution that helps customers manage their money effectively. As a family-controlled bank under First Citizens BancShares, Inc., it boasts over $35 billion in assets and a history of steady leadership. Offering banking services, business solutions, wealth management, and modern online and mobile banking options, First Citizens is dedicated to serving diverse communities and promoting professional growth among its associates. With a focus on financial security and service excellence, the company, founded in 1898 and headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, strives to provide top-notch services to its customers while contributing to the success of the business.

One Better Ventures is a venture capital firm established in 2013 and located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company focuses on nurturing and developing consumer brands that positively impact society. It provides advisory services, investment, and incubation for mission-driven ventures that feature sustainable business models. One Better Ventures has a notable history of building successful businesses, including Burt’s Bees and Seventh Generation. Currently, the firm collaborates with innovative ventures such as Leesa Sleep and Filter Easy, positioning itself as a principled and patient investor and operating partner. Committed to corporate citizenship, One Better Ventures allocates 10% of its profits to charitable donations and another 10% to an employee bonus pool, reflecting its dedication to service and community engagement.