DURHAM, N.C. -- The Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network North Carolina
is continuing in its mission to strengthen the Triangle’s
entrepreneurial ecosystem by adding 25-year business development veteran
Kathryn James to its team of talented professionals and mentors. James
joined the organization this summer as Program Director, working with
the Network’s tightly connected team of Entrepreneurs-in-Residence and
Blackstone Fellows as a liaison for the entrepreneurs and University
communities in addition to partners such as the CED, First Flight
Venture Center and HQ Raleigh.
“Kathryn’s
background as an entrepreneur and her extensive network and connections
bring immense value to our organization as we seek to continue
strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem through increasing dealmaker
connections and the number of investment-ready startups and jobs here
in the Triangle,” said Bob Creeden, executive director of the Network.
James’
extensive professional experience has enabled her to hit the ground
running, Creeden explained, serving as a resource for Network companies
due to her understanding of what it takes to start and grow a company,
in addition to her working knowledge of and connections with the players
within the diverse Triangle business community.
The former
Director of Entrepreneurship at CED, James has founded or co-founded
businesses in the areas of software, continuing care, and development
sustainability. Her extensive experience as a founder and in management
consulting in both gazelle and international companies at Accenture and
Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Consulting gives her in-the-seat
experience with senior management, business infrastructure, and merger
integration responsibilities. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science and
Math from Western Michigan University, and a Master of Landscape
Architecture, Sustainable Landscape Architecture and Planning from NC
State University School of Design.
“I was drawn to the Network
primarily because of the exceptional quality of the entire team and its
emphasis on providing measurable deliverables to the Network companies
and entrepreneurs,” James said, adding, “The goal of the Network is to
help the state’s most promising technology-driven opportunities grow
more quickly. In the process, we create jobs, prosperity and a brighter
future for the state.”
The organization provides tactical and
strategic guidance, connections to investment, and a team of successful
Entrepreneurs In Residence and Fellows who work with emerging companies
looking to scale and be leaders in the RTP area.
For more information on the Network visit www.bennorthcarolina.com.
About the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network of North Carolina
The
Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network of North Carolina was launched in 2011
with a gift from The Blackstone Charitable Foundation. The Network’s
mission is to help catalyze the regional development of the Triangle’s
entrepreneurial ecosystem and thereby strengthen economic development in
the area. The Network harnessed the talent of a regional pool of
veteran entrepreneurs, and in 2012 created a tightly connected team of
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs) to help identify marketable
innovations out of area universities and regional startups with the
greatest potential to become high-growth companies. EIRs work one-on-one
and as a team with local companies and entrepreneurs and help them
achieve significant business milestones, make connections to their
network of experts and funders, and provide access to the broader
Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network. Network portfolio companies enjoy
access to sector experts, venture coaches, angel investors and marketing
support provided by Network Fellows. The Network supports its Partners
(UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke University, NC State, NC Central University, CED)
and the Triangle entrepreneurial community through sponsorship and
participation in regional entrepreneurship events, providing Network
expertise through panels and conferences, and maximizing Network impact
through strategic partnerships and community outreach.
