In this episode of Amplified CEO, Richard Stroupe sits down with Heather McWhorter, Director of UNCW’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and a board member at NC IDEA. Heather shares her journey from Penn State to southeastern North Carolina—and how she’s helping shape Wilmington’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

They discuss:

• Building momentum at CIE and supporting high-impact startups
• The value of entrepreneurial mindset education
• Heather’s vision for Wilmington’s blue economy and future innovation hubs
• Common founder pitfalls—and how to avoid them
• What it takes to grow an inclusive and resilient startup community

Whether you’re a student, founder, or just curious about Wilmington’s rise as a startup hub, this episode is full of thoughtful insights and actionable takeaways.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathermcw/

https://uncw.edu/research/centers/innovation-entrepreneurship/

https://ncidea.org/

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Produced by Cape Fear Ventures
Edited by Coastal Carolina Network

The Amplified CEO Podcast - https://capefear.vc/amplifiedceo/

Elevate CEO Retreat - https://capefear.vc/elevate/

LinkedIn profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stroupe