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Path’s Nate Robert-Eze on Winning Invest Fest, Playing Four Instruments, and Wrapping a $2.3M Seed Round
Posted Yesterday tl;dr Path Intelligence is a startup led by founder Nate Robert-Eze that created an AI "sales agent" for real estate — instead of just showing buyers virtual tours of homes, this AI actually talks with them in over 42 languages, answering their questions any time of day. The company has grown a lot since last summer, winning a big pitch competition in Atlanta that earned them $125,000, receiving grants and recognition, and working with major real estate companies like Ritz-Carlton Residences and Hines. Robert-Eze shared that his biggest lesson was learning to explain his product simply (saying "we sell homes faster" instead of using fancy tech language), and he hopes his AI can someday help everyday people get honest answers about buying homes, not just wealthy luxury buyers. |
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How Coastal Entrepreneur of the Year Koolbridge Energy Facilitates a Sustainable Future
Posted Monday tl;dr A Wilmington, North Carolina company called Koolbridge Energy has invented a smart breaker box called the Smart Load Center (SLC) that can manage electricity from multiple sources, like solar panels, batteries, generators, and the regular power grid, instead of just one like old-fashioned breaker boxes. This device automatically chooses the cheapest and most efficient energy source for a home’s needs, helps lower electric bills, and can prioritize which appliances get power first during an outage. Founded by inventor Dr. Paul Dent and now led by CEO Bill Griffin, the company recently won the Coastal Entrepreneur of the Year award and hopes to grow this North Carolina-based innovation into a major player in the future of home energy. |
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Monday Mix: NC IDEA Deadlines, ConvergeSouth, The Seed List, NEW’s AI Roundtable, and More!
Posted Monday tl;dr This week’s newsletter highlights several important deadlines and events for entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts. On Monday and Tuesday, key grant and program applications from NC IDEA are due, while Tuesday evening features a Student Showcase from The SEED List’s Emerging Leaders program. Later in the week, there are networking opportunities focused on climate tech and AI, plus a two-day conference in Winston-Salem where the GrepBeat team will be attending. |
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Friday Fix: Giving Week, RCOAST, XTND, and Much More!
Posted Friday tl;dr GrepBeat.com shares news about startups and technology, and every Friday, David Schwartz gives a quick recap called the Friday Fix to help people catch up on the week's stories. This week's recap included a thank-you for their Week of Giving donations, along with features on companies like RCOAST, Milk Diary, and XTND, plus highlights from NC State's Andrews Launch Accelerator Demo Day. You can listen to the full podcast episode and subscribe to stay updated on future tech news in your area. |
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Wilmington’s XTND Announces Strategic Partnership With Clio
Posted August 20, 2026 tl;dr XTND, a startup that helps insurance defense law firms manage billing and collect money they've already earned, has officially partnered with Clio, a major legal software company, making XTND an official solution partner in Clio's network. This partnership matters because complex insurance law firms often struggled to use modern cloud software like Clio due to complicated billing rules, but XTND solves that problem by handling the tricky financial paperwork so firms don't lose money. Moving forward, XTND plans to add new AI-powered tools to spot where firms are losing revenue, grow its team, and reach hundreds of similar law firms across the country, all while staying rooted in its hometown of Wilmington. |
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By a Mother, for Mothers: Raleigh’s Milk Diary Alleviates Stresses of Breastfeeding
Posted August 20, 2026 tl;dr Kaya Thomas, a mom from Raleigh, created an app called Milk Diary to help new parents track breastfeeding and pumping schedules, since she couldn't find one that focused specifically on feeding after her own baby was born early and needed extra care. The app lets parents track feeding times, milk supply, and patterns to share with doctors, while keeping all data private and only using AI to help organize information quickly, not as the main feature. Thomas hopes Milk Diary will grow beyond just tracking to become a tool that motivates parents and helps them feel confident and accomplished during the challenging early days of parenthood. |
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Andrews Launch Accelerator Showcases 10 Startups at 2026 Demo Day
Posted August 19, 2026 tl;dr NC State's Andrews Launch Accelerator (ALA) recently finished a 12-week summer program, ending with a "Demo Day" where 10 startups pitched their business ideas to guests from the local entrepreneurial community. These young companies tackled all kinds of problems, from apps that help climbers check trail conditions to smart earbuds for athletes, disease-detecting plant sensors, and AI tools that automate restaurant orders and dental office tasks. Funded by a $1 million donation, the program gives these startups free seed money and mentorship, and even brought back a successful alum from a past cohort to show attendees the accelerator's real-world impact. |
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Wilmington’s RCOAST Provides a Living Data Layer for U.S. Coastlines
Posted August 18, 2026 tl;dr RCOAST is a Wilmington startup founded by Dr. Christy Swann that uses drones with special laser technology (LiDAR) to create detailed 3D maps of coastlines, helping track erosion and sand movement so communities can better plan for storms and flooding. Swann's love of the beach as a kid, combined with her science background—including work that even helped NASA test sensors for Mars—led her to notice that important coastal decisions were often based on outdated data, inspiring her to start the company. Today RCOAST works in five states, has already helped places like South Padre Island, Texas track successful erosion-control projects, and hopes to eventually use planes and AI to help protect coastlines across the country and world. |
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Thanks For Supporting GrepBeat During Our Inaugural Giving Week
Posted August 17, 2026 tl;dr GrepBeat, a nonprofit that supports North Carolina tech startups, recently held its first "Giving Week" and received generous donations from readers, founders, and community members ranging from $25 to $1,000. Even though Giving Week has ended, people can still support GrepBeat anytime through one-time gifts, monthly or yearly donations, or by joining special giving groups like the "Founder's Circle." Those who can't donate money can still help by subscribing to the newsletter, sharing content, and telling others about GrepBeat. |
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Monday Mix: PitchBreakfast, First Flight’s Itineraries, Free Coworking, and More!
Posted August 17, 2026 tl;dr This week's Monday Mix highlights several community events for people interested in business and technology. There will be a session on AI questions, a community meetup, a workshop to help improve business pitches, and free coworking days at two organizations. Readers can also thank everyone who joined the "Week of Giving" and choose to listen to the news as a podcast instead of reading it. |
