Founders Circle
Being a founder can be a lonely journey, even more so in climate tech.
That’s why we’re creating the Founders Circle — a dedicated community for clean and climate tech entrepreneurs in North Carolina to come together, learn from one another, and share valuable resources.
Be part of the founding group shaping North Carolina’s climate tech startup community.
The Founders Circle is an invitation to help build something: a community of climate tech founders, researchers, and leaders working together to accelerate solutions to our most urgent climate challenges.
If you’re a founder or key leader working on climate, sustainability, or environmental technology solutions and you want to help build a local community here in the Triangle—you belong in the Founders Circle.
Program Details & Dates – Fall 2025
We’re excited to launch the first entrepreneurial community focused on climate and clean tech in the Research Triangle. This is a community we intend to co-create with you and the Founders Circle is intended as a first step in bringing this vision to life.
Over the course of three professionally-facilitated gatherings starting in September of 2025, we will bring together climate tech founders and key leaders to forge relationships, share your greatest needs, and co-create the vision and structure of this community.
Session 1: Foundations & Connections
Date: Wednesday, September 17th, 4-6pm
Location: First Flight Venture Center, RTP
Topic: Kick off the Founders Circle with an evening focused on building relationships and setting the tone for our climate tech community. Meet fellow founders, share your vision, and explore how we can strengthen North Carolina’s climate innovation ecosystem together.
Session 2: Sharing Challenges, Shaping Solutions
Date: Wednesday, October 8th, 4-6pm
Location: First Flight Venture Center, RTP
Topic: A working session for founders to bring their biggest challenges and opportunities to the table. Through facilitated discussions, we’ll exchange insights, identify shared needs, and explore solutions that can accelerate climate tech innovation in the Triangle.
Session 3: Co-creating What’s Next
Date: Wednesday, November 12th, 4-6pm
Location: First Flight Venture Center, RTP
Topic: In our final fall gathering, we’ll distill what we’ve learned, set collective priorities, and co-create a roadmap for the future of the Founders Circle. Your voice will help shape what this community becomes in 2026 and beyond.
Join the Founder’s Circle
Interested in joining a first-of-its-kind climate tech community in North Carolina? Fill out the following interest form, and we will be in touch to discuss participation with you further.