Browse and search through GrepBeat's stories.
Most recent stories
 |
Friday Fix: Our BUZZ IN Recap, 24HRPR, Botsi, and PulseKonnect
Posted Friday tl;dr GrepBeat.com is a website that shares news about startups and technology, and their "Friday Fix" segment with David Schwartz helps readers catch up on stories they may have missed during the week. This week's recap included a conference in Wilmington, a feature on a Charlotte company called 24HRPR, an update on another Charlotte startup called Botsi that raised $1.5 million, and a story about a Raleigh business called PulseKonnect. You can listen to the full podcast episode and subscribe to stay updated on tech news in your area. |
|
Raleigh-Based PulseKonnect Streamlines Home Healthcare Agency Operations
Posted Thursday tl;dr Obi Akpuda, whose parents run a home healthcare agency, noticed that small agencies struggled with billing, compliance, and paperwork, so he created PulseKonnect, a software tool that helps manage billing, hiring, and patient care all in one place. The system has already helped its customers save time, cut hiring delays, and reduce billing errors, especially benefiting agencies that care for seniors and people with disabilities. Now with seven customers and growing through word-of-mouth referrals, Akpuda is working to raise $1 million to expand PulseKonnect and help even more home healthcare agencies run smoothly. |
|
Botsi’s $1.5M Raise Will Improve, Expand Personalized Subscription Solutions
Posted Thursday tl;dr Botsi, a startup that helps apps charge different customers different prices based on how much they use the app, recently raised $1.5 million to grow its business. The company's AI figures out the best price, trial length, or deal to show each person, and its customers have seen revenue increase by 15% to 75%. While the company started in Charlotte, one co-founder has since moved to New York and the team plans to use the new funding to help customers get results faster and eventually build a fully self-serve platform. |
|
Charlotte’s 24HRPR Helps Startups Generate Press and Boost AEO Visibility
Posted Tuesday tl;dr 24HRPR is a startup created by Liz Brigham and Adrian Johnson to help small businesses share their news with the world, since hiring a professional public relations team is often too expensive for them. The platform uses guided prompts to write press releases, then matches startups with the most relevant journalists, bloggers, and podcasters—even in very specific fields like rodeo sports—so their announcements reach the right audience. Beyond writing and sending releases, 24HRPR also tracks how well the coverage performs and offers a free newsroom feature, allowing any founder to publish and share their story quickly and easily. |
|
NEW’s 2026 Investor Buzz In Shines Spotlight on Wilmington Ecosystem
Posted Monday tl;dr Wilmington held its fourth annual "Investor Buzz In," a free one-day conference that brought together 322 investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders to discuss growing the region's startup scene through panels, pitches, and networking. Speakers shared advice on building strong company culture, focusing on solving real problems rather than just pushing solutions, and using AI to improve processes without threatening jobs, while also highlighting Wilmington's unique appeal for tech and life-science founders. The event also featured presentations from six local startups—covering everything from coastal erosion tracking to AI-powered workforce training—showcasing the momentum and future potential of Wilmington's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. |
|
Monday Mix: Walking Masterminds, FFVC’s Itineraries, a Venture135 Deadline, and More!
Posted September 14, 2026 tl;dr This week's Monday Mix highlights several networking and learning events happening across the Triangle and Wilmington areas of North Carolina, including walking meetups, startup lunches, and One Million Cups gatherings that connect entrepreneurs and community members. There's also a special session on healthy AI use happening in Pittsboro on Thursday. If you're interested in presenting at the Venture135 fintech conference in Charlotte this November, don't wait too long—the early decision application deadline is tonight at midnight! |
|
GrepBeat Hosts Wilmington Happy Hour to Cap Off NEW’s Investor Buzz In
Posted September 11, 2026 tl;dr GrepBeat quickly organized a Happy Hour at Flytrap Brewing in Wilmington right after a successful Investor Buzz In event, even though they only had about 10 days to plan it. Despite rainy, humid weather, nearly 100 people walked over to join, making it one of the best-attended Happy Hours in years. The event was made possible by teamwork, sponsors like Aprio, the welcoming staff at Flytrap, and the Wilmington crew who organized the whole day’s activities. |
|
Friday Fix: Announcing our Executive Director, NEW’s BUZZ IN, and More!
Posted September 11, 2026 tl;dr GrepBeat.com is a website that shares news about startups and technology, and every Friday they post a "Friday Fix" to help readers catch up on anything they missed that week. In the week of September 11th, GrepBeat covered a story about a Charlotte-based company called Joyntly, announced their new Executive Director named Katy Breitenbach, and recapped a fun conference and happy hour event in Wilmington. Readers can listen to a podcast that explains all these stories in more detail, and they can subscribe so they never miss an update! |
|
Meet GrepBeat’s Executive Director: Katy Breitenbach
Posted September 9, 2026 tl;dr GrepBeat, a nonprofit that highlights startups and innovation in North Carolina, has hired Katy Breitenbach as its first-ever Executive Director. With over 15 years of nonprofit experience, Katy is excited to build on GrepBeat's strong foundation, help it grow, and boost fundraising so it can keep telling important stories about innovation in the state. In a fun interview, she also shared personal details about her life, including her love of movies, her family, and her two quirky mixed-breed dogs. |
|
Charlotte’s Joyntly Aims to Improve Behavior, Leadership Skills at Work
Posted September 8, 2026 tl;dr Joyntly is a Charlotte startup founded by Kate Frear that helps managers build better leadership skills using quick, personalized weekly assessments based on behavioral science, instead of long courses or coaching sessions. Drawing on her background in organizational psychology, Frear designed the platform so leaders spend just 5-10 minutes a week identifying habits to improve, making it easy to fit into a busy workday. Since launching in 2025, Joyntly has gained support through grants and is now working with companies in industries like finance and retail to refine its product based on customer feedback. |
