Eighteen Entrepreneurs from Across North Carolina Selected for First SBCN Startup Showdown, Powered by Wells Fargo Foundation

The North Carolina Community College System has announced the entrepreneurs selected to advance as the inaugural statewide cohort for SBCN Startup Showdown, marking the first statewide entrepreneurship initiative of its kind launched through North Carolina’s 58 community college Small Business Centers. 

Led through the North Carolina Small Business Center Network, the program was designed to identify, support, and elevate emerging business talent from across North Carolina through a structured process of local engagement, regional review, and statewide selection. 

The inaugural SBCN Startup Showdown generated strong participation statewide, drawing 316 applicants from across North Carolina and resulting in more than 1,050 hours of pre-application business counseling and technical support delivered through local Small Business Centers. Entrepreneurs worked closely with counselors and directors to strengthen business concepts, prepare submissions, and move through multiple stages of review. 

The selected entrepreneurs represent colleges and communities from every region of North Carolina and will now move into the next phase of the program, including business launch training, advanced pitch coaching, and preparation ahead of the formal statewide awards event scheduled for September 17, when final winners will be announced and $60,000 in unrestricted startup funding will be awarded. 

A full listing of cohort participants and college representation can be viewed here.

“This program demonstrates what is possible when North Carolina’s community colleges work together statewide to create opportunity for entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Jeff Cox, President of the North Carolina Community College System. “The SBCN Startup Showdown is creating a new platform for identifying talent, supporting innovation, and helping early-stage businesses build momentum in every region of our state.” 

“What makes this program especially meaningful is the level of support happening across the Small Business Center Network,” said Anne Shaw, State Director of the Small Business Center Network. “Directors and counselors across North Carolina invested significant time helping applicants strengthen ideas, prepare materials, and move confidently through each stage of this process. That statewide commitment is what made this regional selection process so strong and sets the stage for an exceptional statewide competition ahead.” 

The SBCN Startup Showdown was created to strengthen entrepreneurship pathways by combining direct coaching, structured pitch preparation, and statewide visibility for aspiring entrepreneurs preparing to launch new businesses. Cohort participants will now enter an eight-week Pitch It! training experience designed to guide them through the steps of starting a successful business through hands-on activities that build practical knowledge, while also strengthening presentation skills, sharpening business messaging, and preparing them for their final pitch to the Business Trailblazer program judges in August. 

As the inaugural year moves forward, leaders across the North Carolina Community College System see the program as an important addition to the state’s broader small business support ecosystem and a model for continued entrepreneurial engagement in the future. 

About the Small Business Center Network 

The North Carolina Small Business Center Network provides no-cost counseling, training, and resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners through centers at all 58 North Carolina community colleges. Through local expertise and statewide reach, the network helps businesses start, grow, and succeed while strengthening North Carolina’s economy.  

About the North Carolina Community College System 

The North Carolina Community College System is the engine for workforce development in North Carolina and the only public entity dedicated to providing affordable college access to anyone in the state. The System is governed by the NC State Board of Community Colleges with administration from the NC Community College System Office, and support from the NC Community Colleges Foundation, and is powered by the 58 community colleges and their respective foundations. Together, the System serves 600,000 students and awards more than 60,000 degrees, diplomas, and certificates annually. 

About the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation 

The NC Community Colleges Foundation (Foundation) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1986 to support the NC Community College System. The Foundation is governed by a diverse board of directors who, together with staff members, raise awareness and funds to advance the System’s mission, manage several scholarship and award programs that honor excellence, and support public-private partnership programs that foster innovation.