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	Meet The Six Startups From RDCW’s Climate Tech Showcase & Social Posted Today tl;dr At the first Raleigh-Durham Climate Week, a networking event let people meet six local startups that are using new ideas to help the environment. These companies are working on things like cleaning pollution from water, making it easier to charge electric cars, growing crops with natural pesticides, pulling carbon dioxide out of the air, turning beach seaweed into skincare ingredients, and making strong concrete from trash like Styrofoam and glass. The founders explained that they want their inventions to help the planet and also make money, because a business that earns money can keep solving problems over time.
	Raleigh Entrepreneur Supports Startups’ Early Financial Journeys with Futureproof Posted Yesterday tl;dr Oz Merchant, a Raleigh entrepreneur who has already built six startups, created Futureproof, an AI-powered finance platform that helps early-stage companies (especially online stores and software companies) manage their money, because he saw that many founders don't understand finance. Instead of relying on tools like QuickBooks, Futureproof builds its own accurate records from bank and credit card data and uses six AI "agents" that each handle a different job, like bookkeeping, paying bills, forecasting, and managing investors. Futureproof launched in 2025, already has almost a dozen customers, and also helps founders find funding, with Merchant saying he uses the platform himself and wants it to help founders keep track of their cash.
	Predicate AI is Building an Intelligence Layer for the Future of Healthcare Posted Tuesday tl;dr Predicate is a startup in Wilmington that created OpenDx, an AI tool that listens to changes in a person's voice and combines that with vital signs, like heart rate, to spot sepsis, a dangerous reaction to infection, before it becomes life-threatening. In a study in Honduras, the tool correctly found 98% of sepsis patients just by analyzing how they described their symptoms, and the company is also planning solar-powered "Health Hubs" in Africa to help mothers and babies who live far from doctors. The founder, Dr. Morris Nguyen, hopes to get FDA approval by October 2027 and eventually put the technology on tiny chips inside medical devices and wearables.
	A New Chapter for FitVil: How Brandon Lewis is Revamping the Fitness Platform Posted Monday tl;dr Brandon Lewis, a fitness expert and powerlifter, became the majority owner of FitVil in November 2025. FitVil is a fitness app that started in 2016 and already had more than 141,000 members who use it for run clubs and fitness groups. Lewis is relaunching it with new features, like a group of 50 personal trainers, a way to book places like pickleball courts, an AI tool that creates workouts, and a partnership that lets members talk to doctors anytime, so people can find everything they need for their health in one place.
	Monday Mix: Raleigh-Durham Climate Week, RDSCo.’s Built Here, and More! Posted Monday tl;dr This Monday Mix for the week of November 2nd highlights Raleigh-Durham Climate Week, which runs November 2-6 at events across the Triangle area. Other events include a November 4 session on getting grant funding for new businesses, a November 5 talk on turning ideas into real products, and a November 5 evening conversation about building startups with new AI technology. On November 6, ProductCampRTP will host a conference about what's worth building and the skills and careers that go with it.
	Friday Fix: What’s Good Catch-Up, Kevel’s Big Raise, Climate Week, and More! Posted October 30, 2026 tl;dr GrepBeat.com covers lots of startup and tech news, but since it's hard to keep up with everything, David Schwartz does a weekly "Friday Fix" that quickly recaps the week's stories, podcasts, and events. This week's recap included a chat with Megan Rowe of What's Good, news that Durham company Kevel raised $52 million, features on the North Carolina startups AugWork AI and Picture In My Head, and a preview of Raleigh-Durham Climate Week. You can listen to the full recap and subscribe to The GrepBeat Podcast so you don't miss any future news.
	Your Full Guide to the Inaugural Raleigh-Durham Climate Week Posted October 29, 2026 tl;dr The first Raleigh-Durham Climate Week will run from November 2 to 6, with more than 30 free events across the Triangle area that focus on new ideas for fighting climate change. Each day has a different focus: Monday has tours and hands-on learning, Tuesday helps people learn how to start a career in climate work, Wednesday teaches founders business skills, and Thursday covers how climate companies get funding. The week ends Friday with a casual coffee meetup, and anyone interested can sign up for events at raleighdurhamclimateweek.com.
	Picture In My Head: AI-Powered Custom Apparel Brings Childlike Wonder To Life Posted October 29, 2026 tl;dr Picture In My Head (PIMH) is a startup founded by Bert Nowell, who was inspired when his three-year-old daughter described her imagination by saying, "I just have this picture in my head." Its AI-powered app turns kids' doodles, photos, and artwork into patterns that can be printed on clothing made in Los Angeles, and customers can get their products in as little as two weeks. Although PIMH is aimed mostly at kids, adults can enjoy it too, and Nowell hopes to work with schools so children's art projects can become something that lasts.
	Wilmington’s AugWork AI Helps Users Build Agentic Employees For Specific Roles Posted October 28, 2026 tl;dr Robert Chapman, who has worked in web design and consulting since 2007, noticed that many businesses don't know how to use AI beyond acting like a "Super Google," and that many employees are afraid to try it. To help, he started AugWork AI in Wilmington, a company that lets businesses create "AI employees" by uploading a job description, building a persona, and connecting tools like Gmail or Microsoft Teams. These AI workers handle repetitive tasks so people can focus on more important work, and the company, which mostly serves construction and skilled trade businesses, charges $4,000 a month for the first AI employee and $3,000 for each one after.
	Kevel’s $52M Raise: Doubling Down On “Transparent AI” And Building Globally From Durham Posted October 27, 2026 tl;dr Kevel, a technology company based in Durham, North Carolina, just raised $52 million from investors, bringing its total funding to over $100 million. The company helps stores like Dollar General and Chewy run their own advertising on their websites and apps, and it started in 2010 as a different company called Adzerk before changing its focus. Kevel plans to use the money to grow around the world, hire more workers, and build "transparent AI," which means artificial intelligence that explains why it makes its choices instead of keeping them secret.

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