Raleigh's startup support scene gets a spotlight with six local resources for founders, a former Kane Realty executive launches an AI consulting firm, and Corgan makes its first North Carolina acquisition. Plus, the events you need on your calendar this week.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6am.city/ralbizbrief
• 6 local resources for Triangle founders (ESOs) — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/business/6-triangle-organizations-helping-entrepreneurs-grow
• NC IDEA's Ecosysteming podcast, hosted by Thom Ruhe — https://www.youtube.com/@ncidea8471
• Raleigh Founded's free coworking day, September 15 — https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-community-coworking-day-tickets-1999101070115
• Siemens Healthineers' $7.8M Morrisville land purchase (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/09/09/siemens-healthineers-buys-land-rdu-morrisville.html
• Bonner Gaylord launches Grounded Intelligence (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/09/08/bonner-gaylord-david-shaner-ai-cre-raleigh.html
• Labcorp acquires MLM Medical Labs — https://www.labcorp.com/education-events/press-releases/labcorp-acquires-mlm-medical-labs-expanding-global-central
• Corgan acquires Duda|Paine Architects (Business NC) — https://businessnc.com/corgan-acquires-durham-based-dudapaine-architects/
• SteelFab's $22M Fayetteville expansion (Greater Fayetteville Business Journal) — https://bizfayetteville.com/manufacturing/2026/9/9/existing-steel-fabrication-manufacturer-announces-expansion-in-fayetteville-and-cumberland-county/5857#new_tab
• Durham ranks in WalletHub's Hispanic entrepreneurship study — https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-cities-for-hispanic-entrepreneurs/6491
• NC State's $20M AI education grant (Business NC) — https://businessnc.com/nc-state-gets-20-million-to-advance-ai-research-for-k-12-students/
• NC's latest job growth numbers (The Carolina Journal) — https://www.carolinajournal.com/opinion/carolina-job-growth-beats-national-trend/
• NCMA relaunches Corporate Membership + is hiring — https://ncartmuseum.org/corporate-support/
• Walk West is hiring: Fractional Director, Paid Media — https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4465057738/
• Full events calendar — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/events#/
• Office space listings (lease/sale) — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/

The BizBrief Podcast is produced by Walk West. To grow your brand through content creation and AI enablement, contact us at https://www.walkwest.com/bizbrief.

Durham's M&F Bancorp is merging to become the largest Black-owned bank in the country, two WakeMed executives are heading for the exits, and we'll tell you where Raleigh-area companies rank among North Carolina's largest private businesses. Plus, you can see Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Tomlin give a keynote later this month, and the events you need on your calendar this week.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6am.city/ralbizbrief
• M&F Bancorp merges with Optus Financial to become the largest Black-owned bank in the US (Business NC) — https://businessnc.com/nc-trend-mf-bancorp-merges-with-bigger-s-c-bank/
• Johnson Brothers Mutual Distributing buys its Garner headquarters (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/09/01/johnson-brothers-distributing-buys-new-garner-hq.html#new_tab
• Two executive departures at WakeMed (Business NC) — https://businessnc.com/two-top-wakemed-leaders-leave-amid-merger-talks/
• Take the BizBrief job search quiz — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• USPTO opens community engagement office at NC State (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/27/uspto-opens-community-engagement-offce-ncstate.html#new_tab
• Business North Carolina's 2026 Private 125 list — https://businessnc.com/bnc-125-top-private-companies-2026/
• New office leases at The Exchange Raleigh (Dewitt Carolinas) — https://theexchangeraleigh.com/leasing/
• Vote: Coolest Thing Made in NC — https://coolestthingmadeinnc.com/
• Vote: The Borrow Bar's Startup Showdown pitch — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2oMZbTOw8Q
• Full events calendar — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/events#/
• Office space listings (lease/sale) — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• NC Central Men's Basketball Tip-Off with Mike Tomlin, September 30 — https://www.nccutipoff.com/
• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/

The BizBrief Podcast is produced by Walk West. To grow your brand through content creation and AI enablement, contact us at https://www.walkwest.com/bizbrief.

WakeMed unveils a $919 million hospital expansion plan, Raleigh's Convention Center gets a new name, and North Carolina's top bakery is right here in the city. Plus, who to follow on LinkedIn, and the events you need on your calendar this week.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6am.city/ralbizbrief
• WakeMed's $919M hospital expansion plan (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/24/wakemed-new-hospitals-wendell-rolesville-raleigh.html
• Merritt Properties breaks ground on RDU-area industrial park (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/25/rdu-industrial-park-merritt-properties-work-starts.html
• SECU's 54% profit increase (Business NC) — https://businessnc.com/secu-says-profit-gained-54-to-437m-over-past-year/
• Raleigh Convention Center renamed Atlantic Union Bank Convention Center (WRAL) — https://www.wral.com/news/local/raleigh-convention-center-renamed-atlantic-union-bank-august-2026/
• Intown Golf Club opens at North Hills Innovation District (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/25/intown-golf-social-club-raleigh-north-hills-opens.html
• Rural Plumbing & Heating closes after 79 years (The News & Observer) — https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article316988113.html
• Boulted Bread named NC's top bakery (The News & Observer) — https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article316933637.html
• Constructing the Carolinas podcast, hosted by Jed Byrne, produced by Walk West — https://constructingthecarolinas.com/
• Full events calendar — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/events#/
• Office space listings (lease/sale) — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/

The BizBrief Podcast is produced by Walk West. To grow your brand through content creation and AI enablement, contact us at https://www.walkwest.com/bizbrief.

VentureSouth crosses $100 million invested, a Raleigh cocktail bar owner buys her own building, and NC State lands a $480 million defense manufacturing initiative. Plus, ConvergeSouth is finally here, and the events you need on your calendar this week.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6am.city/ralbizbrief
• Full Q&A: VentureSouth's Matt Dunbar on fundraising, AI, and the long game — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/business/venturesouth-matt-dunbar-looks-for-in-successful-founders
• NC State's FutureTEX defense manufacturing initiative — https://news.ncsu.edu/2026/08/futuretex-defense-manufacturing-industry/
• UNC Health Johnston & Duke Health secure PET scanner approvals (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/17/duke-unc-pet-scanner-approvals-cary-smithfield.html
• Ode is hiring in Raleigh (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/15/anthropic-claude-ode-venture-ai-adoption-raleigh.html
• Andrews Launch Accelerator 2026 Demo Day (GrepBeat) — https://grepbeat.com/2026/08/19/andrews-launch-accelerator-showcases-10-startups-at-2026-demo-day/
• William & Company's Liliana Ballance buys her building (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/12/raleigh-bar-person-st-uilding-sold-real-estate.html
• Stephen Bentley's park leadership honor — https://raleighnc.gov/news/parks-director-be-inducted-american-academy-park-and-recreation-administration
• Durham Tech's enrollment surge (ABC11) — https://abc11.com/post/durham-technical-community-college-allowing-students-experience-hands-training-class/19679345/
• Full events calendar — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/events#/
• Office space listings (lease/sale) — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• ConvergeSouth, August 27-28 in Winston-Salem: https://convergesouth.com/
• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/
  
  

The BizBrief Podcast is produced by Walk West. To grow your brand through content creation and AI enablement, contact us at https://www.walkwest.com/bizbrief.

A UNC investment fund's windfall from an early SpaceX bet, North Carolina Central University opens the country's first AI research center at an HBCU, and a Durham developer scales back a major downtown tower. Plus, a look ahead at ConvergeSouth, and the events you need on your calendar this week. It's the very first episode of BizBrief — welcome.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6am.city/ralbizbrief
• UNC Management Company's SpaceX stake sale (Business NC) — https://businessnc.com/spacex-produces-1b-gain-for-unc-endowment-with-more-to-come/
• NCCU opens first HBCU-based AI research center (ABC 11) — https://abc11.com/post/north-carolina-central-university-made-history-first-hbcu-nation-launch-dedicated-ai-research-center/19658721/
• Four Points LLC scales back downtown Durham tower (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/10/four-points-downtown-durham-apartments-retail.html
• Battery Metals seeks $250M for out-of-state facility (Triangle Business Journal) — https://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2026/08/10/battery-metals-recycling-facility-tungsten-waste.html
• Raleigh appeals nightlife permit ruling (The News & Observer) — https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article316790440.html
• Raleigh small businesses adapt to shifting economy (ABC 11) — https://abc11.com/post/raleigh-businesses-adjust-amid-economic-challenges/19642776/
• NC State & U.S. Army strategic partnership — https://www.rtp.org/2026/08/nc-state-u-s-army-establish-new-strategic-partnership/
• NC IDEA grant deadline - https://ncidea.org/fall-2026-grant-cycle/
  • Plus application advice — https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jaybigelow_fall-2026-grant-cycle-nc-idea-share-7493057047425470464-GIZr/
• Founder Shares Podcast: Rob Cooley, Nuream — https://open.spotify.com/episode/5dbCg1RIcgXmeOUjGRNlWI
• Founder Shares Podcast: Mike Halpert, VER Coaching — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHbDBJRMVcs
• Full events calendar — https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/events#/
• Office space listings (lease/sale) — BizBriefRaleigh.com
• ConvergeSouth, August 27-28 in Winston-Salem: https://convergesouth.com/
• Connect with Jason Gillikin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/
  
  

The BizBrief Podcast is produced by Walk West. To grow your brand through content creation and AI enablement, contact us at https://www.walkwest.com/bizbrief.

BizBrief - the Triangle's go-to business newsletter - is becoming a podcast. Starting August 17th, host Jason Gillikin brings you the week's biggest business news, key hires, and can't-miss events in about 5 to 10 minutes. Subscribe now so episode one is waiting for you on launch day.

Links & more

• Subscribe to BizBrief: https://6amcity.com/nc/raleigh/bizbrief
• Subscribe to the podcast - available wherever you listen, first full episode drops Monday, August 17
• Connect with Jason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongillikin/

The BizBrief Podcast is produced by Walk West. To grow your brand through content creation and AI enablement, contact us at https://www.walkwest.com/bizbrief.