Fueled By FinTechs, DeepTechs, and HealthTechs, The City of Wilmington, North Carolina's Startup Scene Is On The Map
It is no coincidence that Wilmington-based FinTech startups have seen a strong few years. Many of the new founders in town got their career started inside Live Oak Bank and nCino before taking the leap into technology entrepreneurship.
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Post COVID, one of Hypepotamus’ most-read stories took readers inside a small startup community on the beaches of North Carolina.
Four years ago, our What’s Up In Wilmington? article focused on the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem that was building in New Hanover County. A smaller city compared to others in the region, Wilmington has made its mark on the technology ecosystem by being the birthplace of nCino, Live Oak Bank, and Canapi.
The accolades have only continued to flow in, with Wilmington being recently ranked the top small city worldwide for startups, according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index by StartupBlink.
Wilmington Wins
Since our Hypepotamus ecosystem deep dive into Wilmington in 2021, the city’s innovation scene has grabbed headlines for their growth. Some recent wins for Wilmington include:
* Canapi Ventures raised a $750 million fund to invest directly into FinTech founder
* Apiture, a local digital banking-focused FinTech, was acquired by CSI in August of 2025, which could be a low eight digit deal
* Skillmaker, an AI-driven workforce training platform, closed its most recent $2.5 million funding round this summer
* FinTech startup Lumos raised $2 million for its data platform for small-dollar lending
* Email revenue platform Raleon raised a $3.8 million funding round in 2023
* FinTech startup Synply raised a $4.8 million seed round for its “for bankers by bankers” platform
* Approve, another FinTech in town, landed $3 million in venture capital funding
* Lab Logs secured $2 million in venture funding last summer
What’s Behind That Success?
It is no coincidence that Wilmington-based FinTech startups have seen a strong few years. Many of the new founders in town got their career started inside Live Oak Bank and nCino before taking the leap into technology entrepreneurship.
But Wilmington's strong healthcare industry, particularly around clinical trial companies, has also helped spur the next generation of local talent.
Jim Roberts of the Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW) and a strong connector for the Wilmington startup ecosystem, told Hypepotamus that the companies building and growing in Wilmington are “companies any city in America would want.” But Wilmington has done an impressive job capturing that startup talent.
“Our ecosystem is ATTRACTING new entrepreneurs,” Roberts added. “We are focusing on the success of our entrepreneurs helping attract new companies instead of actively RECRUITING companies.”
Some Startups To Know:
An ode to the city’s area code, September 10 is a day that the city’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is gathering for the second annual #910 Day. While not an exhaustive list, here are a few Wilmington-based startups to have on your radar if you are looking to celebrate #910 Day:
* Approve, a tech-enabled equipment financing platform
* Artemis Immersive, a MedTech startup building 3D animations into the healthcare space
* Boreas Monitoring Solutions, a cryptotank management startup for the fertility industry
* Brilliant Sole, an IoT startup creating sensor embedded footwear
* CareHome Health Solutions, an AgeTech startup improving medicine management for seniors and their caregivers
* DuraVax, a Healthcare startup that is a spinoff from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, works on accessibility medicine
* LabLogs, a HealthTech-focused company for laboratory work
* Lumos, a customizable FinTech platform for financial institutions that provide small business loans
* Nuream, a “sleep tech” startup with a unique line of mattresses
* Ohanafy Software, a beverage-focused SaaS startup
*OpiAID, a recovery intelligence platform
* Predicate Labs, a HealthTech platform, landed a major partnership with Mayo Clinic
* Raleon, a DTC retention marketing startup
* SkillMaker AI, which recently made a splash with its partnership with NAPA Auto Parts
* SportsBase, a management system for grassroots sports clubs — built by club directors, for club directors
* Synply, a FinTech working in the loan space
Want To Connect In Wilmington?
A few organizations to have on your radar as well:
The Network for Entrepreneurs in Wilmington (NEW)
Wilmington Angels for Local Entrepreneurs (WALE)
UNCW’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Wilmington Input Output Tech Talent
ELEVATE CEO RETREAT, hosted by Cape Fear Ventures , which has an upcoming event
** This article has been updated for a more accurate description of the company Approve
