Echo NC

Echo NC Entrepreneurs build entrepreneurs at echo. We connect Triangle founders with capital, trusted relationships, and learning that fits where they actually are.

Any age, any stage, you belong here. Your community is your capital. The Helius is bringing equity to entrepreneurship in Durham. We provide free business mentoring and resources to necessity-driven entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities within the entrepreneurship landscape, with the goal of empowering our clients to earn a fair living wage. Our vision: We see an America where everyone h

as the capability to support themselves and their families with dignity, in the face of racial, educational, and financial inequality.

You’ve seen Mark Hinkle on stage. This time, he’s building with you. 👀Mark is the founder of the AIE Network and co-foun...
08/25/2026

You’ve seen Mark Hinkle on stage. This time, he’s building with you. 👀

Mark is the founder of the AIE Network and co-founder of All Things AI — if you were at the conference this year, you already know why this is a big deal.🤩

For one morning, he’s trading the stage for a room of 15 people. Bring the thing you’re stuck on. A website, an intake form, a pricing calculator, a process you’re still duct-taping together in a spreadsheet, and leave with it built.

No code. No subscription. Just you, Mark, and 3 hours to get unstuck.

📅 Friday, September 11
⏰ 9:00am – 12:00pm
💻 Bring a laptop + the tool or spreadsheet you’re trying to replace
💰 $45 members / $75 non-members
📍 15 spots only

Register at the link in bio.

Tag a founder who needs to be in that room 👇

08/25/2026

Could your business be selected for the Top 10? 👀🔥

Pitch & Prosper is your chance to take your business to the next level. With four weeks to prepare, a chance to pitch on October 2, and ongoing support to help you prosper.

10 founders. $7,500 in prize money. One stage. 🤝

Applications close August 26, so don’t wait until the last minute and miss your shot to be part of it. Apply now at the link in bio.

Huge thanks to PNC for sponsoring Pitch & Prosper and investing in the growth of our entrepreneurial community. 🙌
-
-

Still time to catch the remaining August Huddles. 👀Three experts, three topics, open-door Ask Me Anything sessions where...
08/23/2026

Still time to catch the remaining August Huddles. 👀

Three experts, three topics, open-door Ask Me Anything sessions where you bring your real questions and leave with real answers. Here’s what’s left:

💚 Sally Starrfield | LinkedIn Like It’s 2026 | Aug 24 & 31 at 1 PM
🩷 NK Shrivastava | Save Time with the AI Guy | Aug 24 & 31 at 4 PM
🩵 Molly Lukes | HR Landmines for Founders | Aug 25 & Sep 1 at 4 PM

FREE for echo members. $10/session for non-members — pay at check-in.

RSVP at the link in bio. Show up, check in, and if you’re a non-member, pay $10 on-site.

This month in our Behind the Work series, we’re introducing you to Terah Warren, echo’s Youth Programming Intern.Through...
08/20/2026

This month in our Behind the Work series, we’re introducing you to Terah Warren, echo’s Youth Programming Intern.

Through one-on-one connections with youth and by organizing and facilitating meaningful events, Terah is helping create spaces where young people feel supported, empowered, and encouraged to grow.

Behind the Work is all about the people who make our mission possible.

Swipe through to get to know Terah, the work she’s passionate about, and the impact she’s making with echo every day. 🩷

08/20/2026

Your business could be on this stage. 🔥

Pitch & Prosper applications are OPEN! 10 founders. $7,500. One stage. If you’re ready to put your business forward, get in front of a community that wants to see you win, and take your next big step, now’s the time.

📅 October 2nd, 2026
🕡 Doors open 5:30 PM
📍 echo, 404 Hunt St., Suite 500, Durham
⏳ Applications close August 26th

Don’t wait until the deadline. Apply today → Link in bio.✨

Thank you to PNC for sponsoring Pitch & Prosper and investing in the growth of entrepreneurs in our community.

Are you ready to take your shot? 👀
-
-

$7,500 in prizes. 10 founders. The community as the judges.Pitch & Prosper is echo’s new pitch competition, sponsored by...
08/19/2026

$7,500 in prizes. 10 founders. The community as the judges.

Pitch & Prosper is echo’s new pitch competition, sponsored by PNC, and it’s more than one night on stage. Selected founders spend 4 weeks in Prepare, working with echo community mentors to get pitch-ready.

Ten founders take the stage, and echo’s own community steps in as the judges. If you land in the top 3, you move into Prosper: 4 months, 8 sessions, matched with an echo community mentor.

📅 October 2nd, 2026
🕡 Doors open 5:30 PM
📍 echo, 404 Hunt St., Suite 500, Durham
⏳ Applications close August 26th

Know a founder who should be up on that stage? Tag them below. 👇

If you work with contractors, this one’s for you. 👀These are the mistakes founders make that can blur the line between c...
08/17/2026

If you work with contractors, this one’s for you. 👀

These are the mistakes founders make that can blur the line between contractor and employee, and most of the time, they don’t even know they’re doing it. One wrong move could create problems that are a lot harder to fix after the fact.

Molly Lukes is a fractional HR leader and founder of MLukes HR with 25+ years of experience helping founders get this stuff right. She’s leading our Huddle series, HR Landmines for Founders, where you can bring your real questions and get real answers.

📅 Tuesdays | Starting August 11
🕓 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 echo Community Hub | 404 Hunt St., Suite 500, Durham
💸 FREE for echo members | $10/session for non-members (pay at check-in)

RSVP at the link in bio. Show up, check in, and if you’re a non-member, pay $10 on-site.

Here’s how Pitch & Prosper works. 👉Prepare, Pitch, Prosper: three stages, one full season of support. Selected founders ...
08/14/2026

Here’s how Pitch & Prosper works. 👉

Prepare, Pitch, Prosper: three stages, one full season of support. Selected founders spend 4 weeks in Prepare with echo coaches and community mentors. Then it’s Pitch on October 2nd: ten founders, one stage, and the community itself as the judges. If you land in the top 3, you move into Prosper: 4 months, 8 sessions, matched with an echo community mentor.

Sponsored by PNC. Applications close August 26th. Link in bio.

$7,500 in prize money. Ten founders. October 2, 2026.Pitch & Prosper is echo’s newest pitch competition, and it’s built ...
08/12/2026

$7,500 in prize money. Ten founders. October 2, 2026.

Pitch & Prosper is echo’s newest pitch competition, and it’s built around three stages: Prepare, Pitch, and Prosper. Selected founders spend 4 weeks in Prepare getting pitch-ready with echo coaches and community members. Then it’s Pitch: the stage, the judges, the crowd. If you land in the top 3, you move into Prosper: 4 months, 8 sessions, guided by an echo community mentor matched to your business.

Sponsored by PNC. Applications are open now! Link in bio to apply.

Know a founder who should be up on that stage? Tag them below. 👇

AI doesn’t have to be something we fear, or something we blindly adopt.The real opportunity is learning how to make sens...
08/08/2026

AI doesn’t have to be something we fear, or something we blindly adopt.

The real opportunity is learning how to make sense of it: practically, responsibly, and in ways that actually support the work we’re already doing. That’s exactly the conversation NK Shrivastava is bringing to his Huddle series, Save Time with the AI Guy.

Come ready to bust some myths and leave with more clarity, context, and confidence about where AI actually fits in your business.

📅 Mondays | August 10, 17, 24 & 31
🕓 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 echo Community Hub | 404 Hunt St., Suite 500, Durham
💸 FREE for echo members | $10/session for non-members

RSVP at the link in bio. Show up, check in, and if you’re a non-member, pay $10 on-site.

Address

404 Hunt Street, Suite 500
Durham, NC
27701

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Echo NC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Echo NC:

Shortcuts

Share

Category