NC Tweener Fund Expands Statewide, AI Boosts Startups

0:00From the streets of Durham to the world, this is Durham News Today. The NC Tweener Fund, once focused just on the triangle area, has gone statewide to support around 50 early-stage tech companies each year. Launched back in 2022, this venture fund aims to help startups from one end of North Carolina to the other, amid big shifts in the industry. Artificial intelligence is speeding up how founders build their businesses, making it easier to start with seed money and then grow through sales. Instead of chasing more funding rounds, tools like advanced AI coding helpers are key to this new approach called seed strapping. Start of Teams are staying smaller too, with the average Series A company dropping from 22 employees in 2022 to 15 last year. And numbers could fall even more by 2026. Investors are pushing for lean operations powered by AI to land or keep jobs at these tech startups. Experts say go beyond just coding, get close to customers, step up as product managers to guide roadmaps, and master multiple AI platforms to stand out.

1:07Meanwhile, other North Carolina tech news includes Raleigh Startup, levitate raising $16 million, wolf speed urging the White House to. Spotlight Silicon Carbide and AI plans, and GE Aerospace investing $160 million across local campuses this year. This episode is brought to you in partnership with our sponsor. Layback, press play, let the pillow do the rest, sound meets comfort, S-O-L-I, solely pillow.com.