Heather McWhorter | Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
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/
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Co-Produced by Topsail Insider and Cape Fear Ventures
Editor: Jim Mendes-Pouget | jimpouget@gmail.com
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 christa@topsailinsider.com.
