Carolina Startup Connect offers students and startups an event that gives students learning and career development opportunities with high-growth startup companies, social ventures and innovative opportunities in the Research Triangle region. Think career fair …but not! No suits or resumes here. Students should come prepared to mingle with a diverse group of businesses and founders in a casual environment. Local companies and nonprofits that are eager to work with talented students through internship and employment are given a free opportunity to post their jobs and mingle with candidates.

The first hour is a focused discussion panel that showcases black- and female-founded startups, offering s an opportunity to hear from underrepresented, successful entrepreneurs. The second hour is a broad networking meet-and-greet session that gives students a chance to mingle with a variety of startups, small businesses and social initiatives seeking interns or employees.

Founder Panelists:

Jasmine Cogdell, Blacktag

• Jasmine Cogdell serves as the Head of Communications, Account Management for Blacktag. Jasmine jump-started her career in advertising at BBDO NY. Shortly thereafter, she began working at Wieden + Kennedy New York (WKNY), where she advised on brand strategy and creative development for clients such as Vitaminwater, HBO, Lyft, Verizon, Bloomberg, and Equinox. Having observed the lack of Black representation within the industry, Jasmine made it her mission to create space for Black voices to be amplified within the creative industry and advise WKNY on how to establish systems and processes to better support Black creatives. She co-founded Noir, WKNY’s Black ERG group, and expanded the Black talent pool within the agency. After 6 years, she left WKNY to join Blacktag where she continues her passion of advocating for Black creatives and working to change the landscape of the creative and entertainment industry.

Kene Onuorah, Comme Homme

• Kene Onuorah is the Founder and CEO of Comme Homme, a men’s personal care brand bridging the gap between personal care and mental wellness. The mission at Comme Homme is simple, to help men everywhere embrace their natural evolution. Kene has an undergraduate degree in Health Policy and Management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a MBA from the University of Michigan – Ross School of Business. Kene has a background in brand strategy consulting at Prophet, venture capital at Detroit Venture Partners, and entrepreneurship. He is passionate about brand building, story telling, and community development. Kene’s entrepreneurship ambitions have origins from his time as a student on campus at UNC Chapel Hill. It was here that he and his friends created the community that would fuel his first business venture. Kene is a lover of traveling, physical fitness, and of course Carolina Basketball

Michael Stewart-Isaacs, Mosayk

• Michael Stewart-Isaacs is a visionary leader and a brilliant entrepreneur who has founded and led several successful ventures in the fields of fashion, media, and technology. As the CEO of Mosayk, Michael Stewart-Isaacs oversees the supply chain sourcing, shipping logistics, brand licensing strategy, as well as the day-to-day operations and management of the company. He is responsible for leading a team of talented and diverse professionals who share his passion to service clients with inventive solutions. He is also involved in developing partnerships and collaborations with other creators, executives, and brands who share Mosayk’s vision. Michael continues to challenge his audiences by motivating them to see their brilliance within and spread it abroad. As a highly sought-after speaker and educator he shares his message and expounds the depth of his knowledge on subject matters such as sales training, media training, and intellectual properties creating lasting results for clients. He aims to make Mosayk a platform that showcases and celebrates these expressions in new and exciting ways.

Find more details here

Who Should Attend

Any and all students. Startup and small business founders who want to connect with talented students. While this event is open to all startups and small businesses, it is best suited for and will provided more enhanced participation opportunities for organizations that:

• Are located in the central region of North Carolina or offer well-structured virtual opportunities
• Have completed customer discovery and are preferably revenue generating.
• Exhibit high-growth potential.
• Can offer valuable learning experiences to students (clear goals, a supervisor and preferably paid internships).