Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington

Name

Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington

Legal name

Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington

Website

https://newilm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneur Support Services

akta.pro primary industry

Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)

Keywords

• Startup ecosystem building
• Entrepreneur support services
• Venture mentorship programs
• Small business acceleration
• Startup community networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships: NEW operates as a nonprofit supported by annual sponsors at multiple tiers. Sponsors include High Tide Level sponsors (Kymanox Life Sciences Solutions, Canapi Ventures, Cape Fear Ventures, UNCW Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Spelamode), Title Level sponsors (NC Idea, Hutchlaw, Bagchilaw, Bagchi Group), and Annual Sponsors (Strategic Investments NC, DesignLoud, Fisher Family Foundation, and others). Sponsorships fund programming, events, and ecosystem-building activities.
2. NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM Grant: NEW received a $62,000 NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM grant to fund the Precelerator program, a two-to-three-month cohort-based program in which early-stage companies work with regional experts on the Lean Business Canvas framework.
3. NC IDEA Ecosystem Grant Support: NEW is supported by an NC IDEA Ecosystem Grant, which helps fund programming and operations for the organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW) is a nonprofit entrepreneur support organization that hosts free monthly events, mentorship matching, capital readiness coaching, and the 9-week Precelerator accelerator program to connect Wilmington, NC startups with investors, mentors, and statewide/national resources. The organization builds the local startup ecosystem by convening founders, sponsors, and investors around programming that strengthens pitches, expands deal flow, and supports underrepresented entrepreneurs. NEW serves as the primary connective tissue between local founders and the broader North Carolina innovation economy.

Product overview

Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW) is an entrepreneur support organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services designed to build Wilmington's startup ecosystem. The core offerings include Startup Events & Panels (monthly networking events connecting founders with investors), Mentorship & Advisory Access (one-to-one mentorship pairing founders with experienced operators), Capital Readiness (preparation for funding with pitch strengthening and capital pathway exploration), Founder Education & Workshops (practical skills training), Investor & Partner Connections (facilitated introductions), and Ecosystem Building (connections to statewide/national resources). NEW also operates the Precelerator Program, a 9-week Lean Business Model Canvas-based program for early-stage startups, and organizes event series including the Wilmington AI Roundtable and the ELEVATE CEO Retreat. Rather than a unified software platform, NEW functions as an organizational hub that delivers these service programs to entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors throughout the Wilmington region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Precelerator Program A 9-week accelerator program for early-stage startups using the Lean Business Model Canvas framework. It helps pre-seed and seed-stage founders develop foundational clarity on problem-solution fit, value proposition, revenue models, customer segments, and cost structure. Delivered in partnership with Hustle n Harvest and supported by NC IDEA.
• Startup Events & Panels Free monthly events and panels hosted at venues such as Ironclad Brewery and Skyline Center that connect Wilmington founders, investors, and leaders for practical insights and networking. Designed for early-stage entrepreneurs and the local startup community.
• Wilmington AI Roundtable Quarterly event series focused on AI topics for the Wilmington entrepreneurial community. Launched in partnership with Amped Ventures. Designed for founders and operators interested in applied AI for startups.
• ELEVATE CEO Retreat

Quantifiable outcome

• Wilmington ranked #2 globally for cities 100K–300K population (StartupBlink, 2022)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2021NEW partnered with the UNCW CIE incubator to apply for the NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM grant. The CIE, recognized as a top 50 US accelerator by the SBA, serves as a key anchor institution for Wilmington's startup ecosystem and hosted NEW events at its facility.
• Genesis BlockcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2021NEW partnered with Genesis Block (a Wilmington coworking space and entrepreneur hub) to serve as a feeder for the Precelerator program, hosting pre-program activities for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
• Hustle n HarvestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHustle n Harvest is the partner organization running NEW's 9-week Precelerator Program, which uses the Lean Business Model Canvas framework to help early-stage startups develop foundational business clarity on problem-solution fit, value proposition, revenue models, and customer segments.
• Wilmington Angels for Local Entrepreneurs (WALE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWALE is an angel investor network founded by Jim Roberts that has invested over $1 million in Wilmington startups since 2015. NEW and WALE operate in parallel, with WALE focused on investment and NEW focused on ecosystem building and programming.
• RIoT Accelerator ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIoT Accelerator Program (RAP) has supported Wilmington startups including OpiAID (sixth cohort) and connects regional companies with state-level IoT and technology resources.
• First Flight Venture CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Flight Venture Center in Research Triangle Park provides early-stage life sciences companies with guidance on federal grants and commercialization support. Active in the NC IDEA ecosystem network and engaged with Wilmington life sciences startups.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MassChallenge: Nonprofit global accelerator running cohort programs with mentor networks and corporate sponsor support. Closely analogous nonprofit operating model and founder-support mandate to NEW's community-led programming.
• Venture For America: Nonprofit fellowship and founder support organization operating across multiple US cities. Comparable nonprofit structure, founder-development mission, and regional-ecosystem-stewardship role.
• gener8tor: Operator of accelerator cohorts and founder support programs across multiple US regions. Highly comparable to NEW in mission (community-driven founder development) and operating model (cohort-based programs, sponsor-funded, region-anchored).
• Capital Factory: Texas-based accelerator and entrepreneur hub offering mentorship, investor introductions, and founder education. Highly comparable in regional-ecosystem-building role and sponsor-supported operating model.
• 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit innovation hub providing programming, mentorship, and corporate sponsor support to early-stage founders. Comparable in nonprofit status, community-building mission, and corporate-sponsor revenue model.
• Camelback Ventures: Nonprofit accelerator focused on underrepresented founders with cohort programs, mentorship, and capital-readiness support. Comparable to NEW's mission emphasis on underrepresented entrepreneurs via NC IDEA grant targeting.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator operator with regional cohort programs, mentor matching, and investor introductions. Comparable to NEW's Precelerator + mentorship + capital-readiness offering, but at vastly larger scale and as a for-profit platform.

Regional players

• RIoT: North Carolina-based nonprofit supporting IoT and emerging-tech founders with programming, accelerator cohorts (RAP), and statewide connections. Direct NC peer referenced in NEW's partnership data; comparable regional ecosystem-building function.
• Startup Junkie: Northwest Arkansas-based nonprofit supporting regional founders through programming, mentorship, and ecosystem convening. Comparable community-anchored, nonprofit, founder-support model to NEW's Wilmington operations.
• First Flight Venture Center: Research Triangle Park-based nonprofit incubator focused on early-stage life-sciences and tech founders. Direct NC peer in NEW's network; comparable nonprofit incubator/cohort model and state-level ecosystem role.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/redspireusnc
• Facebookfacebook.com/NEWilm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/jim-roberts-78b24b

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington