We welcome Justin Rothwell to the Ecosysteming Podcast. Justin is the former Co-founder and CEO of ProAxion, a 2016 NC IDEA SEED grantee. Earlier this year, ProAxion was acquired by Decide4Action, where Justin now serves as CPO of the ProAxion System.

In this episode, host Thom Ruhe and Justin take a stroll down memory lane, reflecting on the early days of the Triangle ecosystem, Justin’s journey to acquisition, and how betting on himself and following his curiosity shaped his entrepreneurial path.

Whether you’re an aspiring founder or a seasoned entrepreneur, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Nathan Goldschlag, Director of Research at the Economic Innovation Group, to the Ecosysteming Podcast. His work sheds light on the forces shaping business dynamism, innovation, and economic opportunity in communities nationwide.

Host Thom Ruhe and Dr. Goldschlag dive into Opportunity Zones, economic divides between neighboring places, the renewed surge in new firm formation, and the growing role of AI in entrepreneurship—offering fresh insights on how our economy continues to evolve.

Each year, state and local governments award nearly $90 billion in economic development subsidies to corporations. Greg LeRoy, Executive Director of Good Jobs First (GJF), knows this issue better than anyone.

Dubbed “the leading national watchdog of state and local economic development subsidies,” Greg founded GJF in 1998. GJF is a full-service policy resource center for anyone seeking to reform economic development incentives. He has written, trained, and consulted on economic development for more than 30 years and GJF's 120+ studies have set a long string of research precedents. 

Join host Thom Ruhe and Greg for a candid conversation about the failed economic impact of data centers, the rise of mega incentive deals, and why redirecting those resources toward homegrown entrepreneurship could yield far greater returns.

Episode 25 of Ecosysteming features Representative Dante Pittman of Wilson, North Carolina. Representing House District 24, which includes Wilson and parts of Nash Counties, Rep. Pittman is a lifelong Wilson resident with family roots that go back generations.

In this episode, host Thom Ruhe and Rep. Pittman discuss the strengths of Wilson County, how legislative priorities are set, why entrepreneurship should be nurtured in our communities, what economic development means to him, his path to the North Carolina House of Representatives, and much more.

We are joined by Scot Wingo, General Partner of the Triangle Tweener Fund, Co-Founder and CEO of ReFiBuy.ai, and longtime Podcaster. Having successfully started and exited multiple companies, he has become a champion of the Triangle’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting founders and fueling growth in countless ways.

In 2015, Scot created the Triangle Tweener List to highlight local companies with over 10 people or $1M in annual revenue. After seven years of data, he saw a remarkable pattern: these companies had very few closures and often produced the region’s most significant exits. In 2022, he launched the Triangle Tweener Fund to invest in Triangle Tweener companies using an index strategy.

In this episode, Scot shares his entrepreneurial journey, what he believes the Triangle ecosystem needs to improve, and how his latest venture—ReFiBuy.ai—is creating agentic solutions to e-commerce's hardest problems. 

If you’re an aspiring founder eager to understand how to leverage your local ecosystem, this episode is for you. Episode 23 of Ecosysteming features Bernard Worthy, Co-Founder and CEO of LoanWell. As both an NC IDEA SEED ($50K) and NC BEC Growth ($75K) grantee, Bernard offers a powerful perspective on how local resources and networks can shape entrepreneurial success.

Host Thom Ruhe talks with Bernard about the origins of LoanWell, balancing family with entrepreneurship, the role of shared spaces like Provident1898, and the ongoing challenge of enabling equitable access to affordable capital for all.

Tune in to hear how LoanWell has not only created jobs and generated revenue for business owners, but also built a lasting asset that strengthens entire communities.

Episode 22 of Ecosysteming is here! This week, host Thom Ruhe sits down with Victor W. Hwang, Founder & CEO of Right to Start, for a powerful conversation on entrepreneurship as a fundamental right and what it will take to level the playing field for everyone.

Victor is a seasoned entrepreneur who has launched multiple companies, organizations, and initiatives aimed at breaking down barriers for aspiring founders. His past roles include serving as Senior Advisor on entrepreneurship strategy at the U.S. Commerce Secretary's Office, VP of Entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation, and author of several influential works.

Right to Start is a national, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to expand entrepreneurial opportunity for all. Their latest campaign, America the Entrepreneurial, seeks to renew the nation’s entrepreneurial promise in celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary.

On this episode of Ecosysteming, we are thrilled to feature Nicola Corzine, CEO and Executive Director of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. As the founding leader of this nonprofit dedicated to expanding access and knowledge in entrepreneurship, Nicola brings over 18 years of experience in venture investment, entrepreneurship, and nonprofit leadership. She is a recognized thought leader in capital access, innovation, and ecosystem-building.

Host Thom Ruhe and Nicola engage in a powerful conversation about the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center’s role in the national entrepreneurial ecosystem and explore why North Carolina’s ecosystem has distinguished itself across the country.

Since its launch in 2014, the Center has empowered more than 100,000 entrepreneurs through free education, mentorship, and immersive programming, while advancing research aimed at identifying and removing barriers to entrepreneurship.

Our 20th episode of Ecosysteming is here! Join host Thom Ruhe for a thoughtful conversation with Farad Ali—business leader, executive consultant, community builder, and passionate advocate for equity. Farad has spent his career advancing the economic empowerment of underrepresented communities and currently serves on several influential boards.

In this episode, Thom and Farad explore timely issues around economic development, politics, and the contradictions in how our society approaches diversity—valuing it when it leads to wins, but neglecting it when it comes to sharing.

This week on Ecosysteming we are joined by Paul Corson. With nearly three decades of experience pursuing entrepreneurial initiatives across the U.S., Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia, Paul’s work spans the public and private sectors, NGOs, and higher education. His journey has taken him from startups to shaping public policy at the federal level for the Secretary of Commerce, NASA, and the White House. 

He now serves as Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he leads efforts to spur regional innovation and economic development based on research and technology developed at UTA.

Tune in to explore how university led innovation and entrepreneurship touch more parts of our lives than we often realize.