About

Seed the South is perfect for:

Trailblazing Startups

Early-stage and growth-stage companies looking to accelerate their growth.

Regional Investors

Investors scouting for the next big idea while connecting with top regional founders.

Ecosystem Partners

Strategic ecosystem partners who are ready to support local talent and fuel the entrepreneurial spirit in the region.

Emerging Leaders

Founders and aspiring entrepreneurs seeking knowledge, connection, and inspiration from local legends and industry leaders.

Hear From Other Innovators

"One of the best venture events in the Southeast."

Seed the South is a great spotlight of the many exceptional founders in North Carolina. It’s one of the best events in the Southeast connecting investors and founders.

Ashley Gautreaux

Partner, Creative Co. Capital

"Seed the South was an amazing experience!"

Seed the South was an amazing experience for me as a founder. I got to meet fantastic investors, connect with fellow founders, and learn so much from the quality content. It’s definitely one of the standout events in the Southeast.

Christine Nicodemus

Founder & CEO, Wayhaven

"Seed The South is designed for companies who want to positively impact Charlotte-area entrepreneurs."

NC IDEA has been a proud supporter of Innovate Charlotte's efforts to build an equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem for many years. If you're interested in positively impacting Charlotte-area entrepreneurs, you should strongly consider supporting the upcoming Seed the South Capital Summit.

Ben Redding

CFO, NC IDEA

"An atmosphere that breathes community, growth & validation."

This summit is incredible for Founders, Speakers, Investors and like-minded peers to connect in an atmosphere that breathes community, growth, and validation in the local startup ecosystem.

Justin Witz

Founder & CEO, Catapult

"The energy, the buzz, and the dynamic crowd make this summit an unforgettable experience."

Being a speaker at the summit was nothing short of amazing! These events are the heartbeat of our ecosystem, where ideas collide, collaborations ignite, and innovation takes center stage. If you're not here, you're missing out on being part of something truly extraordinary!

Desmond Wiggan

Founder & CEO, BatteryXchange

Seed the South Mission

Female and minority owned startups have historically struggled to receive funding. Our mission is to improve the entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting investors to local startups, especially elevating underestimated founders.

How it Started

Seed the South was created by Samantha Smith, the founder of Vishion. In the summer of 2017, Smith started pitching her mobile app idea, a color search engine, to every event in town – some with no other women.

Frustrated with the lack of diversity and local opportunities for startups to connect with investors, she created Collective Hustle – a Charlotte investor and startup coalition looking to improve the Queen City's entrepreneurial ecosystem by elevating underestimated entrepreneurs and investors.

"People were hungry for this type of content in the Queen City."

As we grow our startup ecosystem, what if we make Charlotte the hub for diversity?

We selected the best founders to showcase their companies. About 50 percent of participating companies have at least one underestimated founder on their team. Seed the South gives us the platform to showcase just how powerful inclusion and diversity in innovation can be.

Samantha Smith

Founder of Seed the South

"Charlotte Innovation Week represents a pivotal moment for Charlotte’s entrepreneurial scene."

By merging the Innovation Summit with Seed The South, we're amplifying our commitment to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and empowering our diverse community of entrepreneurs. Together with Seed The South, we're creating an unparalleled platform to showcase the boundless potential of Charlotte's startup ecosystem.

Juan Garzón

Managing Director, Innovate Charlotte