In this episode of Amplified CEO, Richard Stroupe sits down with Heather McWhorter, Director of UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a board member at NC IDEA. Heather shares her journey from Penn State to southeastern North Carolina—and how she’s helping shape Wilmington’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

They discuss:

• Building momentum at CIE and supporting high-impact startups
• The value of entrepreneurial mindset education
• Heather’s vision for Wilmington’s blue economy and future innovation hubs
• Common founder pitfalls—and how to avoid them
• What it takes to grow an inclusive and resilient startup community

Whether you’re a student, founder, or just curious about Wilmington’s rise as a startup hub, this episode is full of thoughtful insights and actionable takeaways.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathermcw/

https://uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/

https://ncidea.org/

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Co-Produced by Topsail Insider and Cape Fear Ventures
Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | [email protected]

To learn more about Amplified CEO, visit www.topsailinsider.com/aceo
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To learn more about Richard Stroupe, or Cape Fear Ventures, please contact Christa at (910) 800-0111 or [email protected].