Charlotte has always been a banking town. It’s what put the Queen City on the map, and how the rest of the country knows us.
But we know Charlotte is so much more than that. In the past few years, we’ve seen the Charlotte startup ecosystem grow by leaps and bounds. Huge, successful, nationally recognized companies such as AvidXchange and Red Ventures got their start right here. Now they’re worth hundreds of millions, and more companies are following suit: Passport raised $43 million in 2017. Movement Mortgage grew from four employees to more than 4,000. And 2U Laundry, Skipper and SkillPop are all expanding into new markets. At the same time, Charlotte has become home to multiple startup accelerator programs that focus on everything from fintech to product development.
It’s been a story of reinvention. And we want to tell that story in a bigger and better way than we ever have before.
That’s where you come in. We’ve recently gotten a very generous offer from our colleagues at the Charlotte Regional Fund for Entrepreneurship: If we can raise $16,000 in the next month, the organization will match that $16,000. That means your $20 donation turns into $40 in great stories, insight and advice.
To date, we’ve done a lot with very limited resources, thanks to the generosity of local startup founders, writers, experts and a growing community of supporters. We’ve told the stories of almost 100 entrepreneurs. We’ve brought you information about job opportunities, events and startup news. And we’ve heard time and again that we have introduced others in this community to startups they didn’t know existed.
If you’ve been reading our website and free email newsletter, you already know this. You also know the value we provide. So now, we’re asking you to show your support with a donation of any amount. Our fundraising campaign kicks off Aug. 1 and ends Aug. 31, so the time is now. We'll send out an announcement Wednesday morning with more.
Thank you for all the support you’ve already given us. We tell the powerful story of Charlotte startups, when no one else does. With your help, we can keep doing that and so much more. To support StartCharlotte, please visit our campaign page.
