Developing a Startup Ecosystem with Jim Roberts, NEW – Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington, NC

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Jim Roberts has been helping cities develop and grow entrepreneur ecosystems to help entrepreneurs create a more diverse economy and grow better jobs for their citizens.

Jim has 20 years of experience within North Carolina from an independent non-profit to economic development to university-based programs with success.

Jim’s personal Contributions to the Wilmington startup ecosystem since 2013:

- Opened UNCW CIE Incubator, the first coworking space

- started the Coastal Connect, the annual venture capital conference

- started High Tide Breakfast, the predecessor to 1 Million Cups (same thing)

- Brought NC IDEA to Wilmington as part of the statewide tour about the grant program

- Brought NC Technology Association to host events

(NEVER received a PENNY of support for work below from city, county, or state)

Started the Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington for monthly startup events to bring investors to the beach

- 2nd highest attendance of any monthly startup event in All of North Carolina

- Landed TWO NC IDEA Ecosystem Grants and Engage grants

Started the Wilmington Angels for Local Entrepreneurs (WALE Angel Network)

- Over $1 million invested in 16 startups

Started the Wilmington Bunker Labs Chapter by raising $25,000

- North Carolina named Chapter of the Year two years in a row

Brought First Flight Venture Center to Wilmington for SBIR grant training

- This work helped OPIAID win a $275,000 NIH grant and helped them get match grant from state

Started the Three Sips of Advice Podcast, one of the first business podcasts at beach

Brought a new focus on media attention to the startup ecosystem with out of region coverage from Raleigh / Charleston / Nashville and Atlanta

- 2nd most read article in Atlanta based Hypepotamus in 2021

- Top ten most-read articles in GrepBeat in 2020 and 2019

Brought a Michigan-based PBS TV show to film FIVE episodes in Wilmington for national media coverage.

Advocate for Wilmington startups on statewide committees with NC IDEA, NCTA, and CED to help Wilmington win more grants, win more awards, and win more high-profile stage time at investor conferences.

Helped recruit the EXPANSION of SUZY to Wilmington for the highest paying jobs at the coast in the MOST EXPENSIVE office / real estate in downtown.

And now Wilmington is the 3rd best ecosystem in NCarolina and a globally ranked EMERGING ecosystem by Startup Genome for two years in a row.

Jim Roberts LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-roberts-78b24b/

Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW) website: https://newilm.com/

NEW Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NEWilm/