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Public Voting Opens Sept. 1 for the North Carolina Small Business Center Network’s Inaugural ‘Startup Showdown’
North Carolina Community College System invites the public to help select the state’s next entrepreneurial standouts, following completion of ‘Shark Tank’-style pitch and accelerator program sponsored by Wells Fargo
RALEIGH, N.C., Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After months of intensive business training, mentorship and pitch coaching, 17 of North Carolina’s most promising entrepreneurs are preparing to showcase their ventures through the inaugural Small Business Center Network (SBCN) Startup Showdown, the first statewide entrepreneurship accelerator launched by the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). The competition will culminate this September with more than $60,000 in unrestricted startup funding awarded to the state’s top entrepreneurs and their respective Small Business Center.
From Sept. 1-15, North Carolinians can help spotlight these founders by viewing their business pitches and participating in public voting measured through “likes” on finalists’ professionally produced pitch videos (posted to the North Carolina Small Business Center Network’s YouTube channel). This tally will contribute to each entrepreneur’s final score, along with evaluations from a distinguished panel of judges. Winners will be announced at an invitation-only awards reception in Raleigh on Sept. 17.
Made possible through a funding partnership with the Wells Fargo Foundation, the Startup Showdown is a collaborative effort of the North Carolina Community College System, the Small Business Center Network and the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation. The program was created to identify high-potential entrepreneurs, provide high-quality business education and connect founders with the mentorship, resources and visibility needed to transform innovative ideas into successful businesses. The inaugural cohort represents a cross-section of the state’s entrepreneurial talent, with ventures spanning technology, advanced manufacturing, childcare, commercial and consumer products, health and wellness, and entertainment.
With Small Business Centers embedded at all 58 community colleges, the Network – which provides business counseling, educational programming and technical assistance to thousands of small businesses each year – is uniquely positioned to identify and support North Carolina’s entrepreneurs.
“The Small Business Center Network has never been more important to North Carolina’s entrepreneurial spirit than it is today. Forty years ago, as an SBC director, I witnessed firsthand the backbone of the American economy: individuals willing to take a risk to start or expand small businesses,” said Dr. Bill Carver, Interim President at the System. “North Carolina owes State Director Anne Shaw a debt of gratitude for the leadership, energy and excitement she has brought to this Startup Showdown in partnership with Wells Fargo.”
