WRAL TechWire keeps tabs on the latest and greatest meetups, panels, workshops, conferences, application deadlines and all things happening in the North Carolina startup/tech world. “The Headliners” is a multi-part weekly roundup of upcoming events to add to your calendar.

Following is a list of December and January events in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the greater Triangle area. To find out what’s happening this month in cities outside of the Triangle, check out part two of the “Headliners” column. Another post highlights events in February. Meetups that occur regularly are listed here.

If you’d like your event to be included, feel free to send me an email.

Also, check out a full range of events on TechWire’s interactive calendar, along with our comprehensive resource guide for startups in the Triangle.

Note: The following list is our lineup of Triangle events through the end of January—most have been switched to a virtual format due to COVID-19 social distancing requirements. 

Disaster Preparedness for Small Businesses

December 29, 1-2 p.m. (online)

The Durham Chamber of Commerce is hosting a webinar to lead local small businesses through the steps of preparing and recovering from major disasters.

Downtown Techies Happy Hours @Midtown

December 29, 7-9 p.m. @Fox and Hound

Bring your ideas and opinions to the next Midtown Techies meetup. Events are held on the last Tuesday of every month.

1 Million Cups RTP

December 30, 9-10 a.m. (online)

1 Million Cups, presented by Kauffman, is a weekly informal pitch event for the startup community. Join for free coffee and entrepreneurial support as local startups deliver their presentations.

Triangle Tech Net

January 1, 11:30 a.m. (online)

This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.

Application Deadline: NC IDEA LABS

January 3

NC IDEA LABS is a four-week customer discovery program that helps idea-stage entrepreneurs take their first steps towards building a successful startup. The next cohort will run virtually from Feb. 1 to Feb. 26.

Code for Durham: Civic Hacking Session

January 5, 5:30-8:30 p.m. (online)

Code for Durham brings together technologists, designers, developers, data scientists, map makers and activists to collaborate on civic technology projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.

Duke MEDx Entrepreneurship Workshop Series

January 5, 7-10 p.m. (online)

Duke MEDx’s free Entrepreneurship Workshop Series features interactive talks from local experts. Events will be held on select Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.

Cary Chamber Economic Forecast Breakfast

January 6, 7:30-9 a.m. @Prestonwood Country Club & online

This year’s Cary Chamber Economic Forecast Breakfast event will feature a discussion with NC State University economist Michael Walden, who will share his annual economic forecast update.

1 Million Cups RTP

January 6, 9-10 a.m. (online)

1 Million Cups, presented by Kauffman, is a weekly informal pitch event for the startup community. Join for free coffee and entrepreneurial support as local startups deliver their presentations.

Lunch & Learn: UKCA Essential & New Technical File Requirements

January 6, 3-4 p.m. (online)

This virtual lunch and learn will cover the post-E.U. United Kingdom regulatory landscape, particularly in regards to creating and storing technical files for devices sold into Europe.

NC Chamber Economic Forecast Forum

January 7, 9-11:30 a.m. (online)

The NC Chamber and the NC Bankers Association are hosting the 19th Annual Economic Forecast Forum, bringing together influential leaders and stakeholders to discuss how North Carolina can become a leader in job retention, job creation and quality of life.

On the Menu: Creative Wellness

January 7, 12-1 p.m. (online)

FrontierRTP’s next On the Menu webinar will cover the world of creative practice for wellness. The session will feature research and insights on the benefits of creative wellness, and how to apply it.

Get2Know NC TECH Webinar

January 8, 9-9:30 a.m. (online)

This free monthly interactive webinar provides participants with an overview of NC TECH’s activities, resources and member offerings.

Cary Chamber Friday Force: New Year, New Marketing Plan

January 8, 12-1:15 p.m. (online)

Cary Chamber’s next Friday Force event will show small business owners how to design an effective marketing plan for 2021.

Raleigh Chamber Business After Hours

January 11, 4:30-5:30 p.m. (online)

At Raleigh Chamber of Commerce’s next Business After Hours, members will be divided randomly into virtual breakout rooms to network and share ideas. (This is a members-only event.)

Application Deadline: Duke Student Founder Program (Spring 2021)

January 10

Open to all Duke students, this program provides experiential education, mentoring, a peer network, resources and small prototyping grants to individuals who are interested in creating a product or service, testing a pilot, and someday launching their own startup.

Launch 2021

January 12, 9-11:30 a.m. (online)

Raleigh Chamber’s Launch 2021 program will forecast upcoming trends in the economy, commercial real estate, economic development, hiring and talent.

Idea to Market: Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Workshops

January 12, 12-2 p.m. (online)

Duke University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and First Flight Venture Center are hosting three seminars this month covering early-stage ideation, opportunity identification, and go-to-market strategies.

Triangle Biotech Tuesday

January 12, 5:15-7:30 p.m. 

Triangle Biotech Tuesday is a monthly meetup that connects scientific professionals across the RTP/greater Triangle area. Join for food, drinks and networking with professionals from different industries. The group meets on the second Tuesday of every month.

1 Million Cups RTP

January 13, 9-10 a.m. (online)

1 Million Cups, presented by Kauffman, is a weekly informal pitch event for the startup community. Join for free coffee and entrepreneurial support as local startups deliver their presentations.

SAS Hackathon Kickoff

January 13 (online)

Cary-based SAS is hosting a global hackathon involving developers, students, startups, and SAS customers and partners. The virtual kickoff will be held on Jan. 13.

Cyber Security Network: Where Are Your Risk Factors in Today’s Environment?

January 14, 9 a.m. (online)

NC TECH is hosting a virtual panel discussion with tech and cybersecurity leaders sharing how companies and organizations can safeguard their networks and data, while also managing remote devices.

Durham Chamber C-Suite Conversations: Featuring Jim Sills

January 14, 9-10 a.m. (online)

This virtual event will feature a discussion with Durham Chamber President and CEO Geoff Durham and Mechanics and Farmers Bank President and CEO Jim Sills.

Raleigh Founded’s 2020 Year in Review

January 14, 12-1:30 p.m. (online)

In this virtual event, Raleigh Founded will celebrate the resiliency and innovation shown in the community over the past year.

Triangle Tech Net

January 15, 11:30 a.m. (online)

This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.

Myths About Hiring Tech Talent

January 15, 12-1 p.m. (online)

Tech Talent South Raleigh is hosting a panel of industry experts to discuss myths about hiring a tech workforce.

Application Deadline: NC IDEA Internship For Under-Represented Student Entrepreneurs

January 15

The NC IDEA Foundation is offering a paid summer internship program for under-represented students, with the goal of helping to create a more diverse group of future entrepreneurs. Interested applicants have until Jan. 15 to submit a resume and cover letter.

Talent Network: Not All Digital Transformations Are Created Equal

January 19, 9 a.m. (online)

NC TECH’s next Talent Network event will cover digital transformation strategies for businesses in 2020 and 2021.

NC TECH Virtual Workshop: Advancing Your Cybersecurity

January 19, 12-1 p.m. (online)

NC TECH is hosting an interactive discussion on how businesses and organizations can leverage the 208-M State Contract to advance their cloud, endpoint and XDR security.

Spacewalk 2021

January 19, 12-1:30 p.m. (online)

All Things Open’s second annual Spacewalk event returns in 2021 to feature a preview of ATO’s upcoming calendar, new initiatives and projects.

Idea to Market: Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Workshops

January 19, 12-2 p.m. (online)

Duke University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and First Flight Venture Center are hosting three seminars this month covering early-stage ideation, opportunity identification, and go-to-market strategies.

NC TECH Government Vendor Network

January 19, 3-4 p.m. (online)

NC TECH’s Government Vendor Network is a forum for member companies that are interested in doing business with state government.

Code for Durham: Civic Hacking Session

January 19, 5:30-8:30 p.m. (online)

Code for Durham brings together technologists, designers, developers, data scientists, map makers and activists to collaborate on civic technology projects. Meetings are held every two weeks on Tuesdays.

Application Deadline: 2021 UNC Health Innovation Pilot Awards

January 19

UNC’s Center for Health Innovation provides pilot funding to UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine employees for innovations across a range of health care applications. As many as four awards of up to $50,000 each will be announced in March 2021.

Submission Deadline: RTI University Scholars Program

January 19

RTI International’s University Scholars Program will provide financial support for tenured or research-track academic faculty members focused on racial equity and policy. The program is open to faculty from Duke University and the University of North Carolina’s 16 university campuses. Expression of interest submissions are due on Jan. 19.

1 Million Cups RTP

January 20, 9-10 a.m. (online)

1 Million Cups, presented by Kauffman, is a weekly informal pitch event for the startup community. Join for free coffee and entrepreneurial support as local startups deliver their presentations.

Raleigh Chamber Young Professionals Network Conference

January 20-21 (online)

Raleigh Chamber’s Young Professionals Network is hosting a two-day virtual conference featuring prominent speakers discussing how they’re activating change.

A Global Perspective on Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Building

January 21, 11 a.m. (online)

In this virtual event, Forward Cities CEO Fay Horwitt and Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs Senior Regional East Africa Chapter Manager Maryanne Ochola will discuss approaches to building healthy entrepreneurial ecosystems.

RTP180: Cleantech

January 21, 6-7 p.m. (online)

This month’s RTP180 event will focus on cleantech, featuring short talks from Andy Honeycutt of MeterSYS, Kasey Gridley of Duke Energy, Mark Martyak of PowerSecure, Jeff Kirschner of Litterati and Sushant Shetgeri of Hoffman Building Technologies.

Barber & Cosmetology Business Summit

January 25 (online)

This free virtual summit aims to inform barbers, natural hair practitioners and cosmetologists of the information, best practices and resources they can use to create a sustainable business in their profession.

Raleigh Chamber Coffee with Sharat Nagaraj

January 26, 9-10 a.m. (online)

Raleigh Chamber is hosting a virtual event with Sharat Nagaraj, the president and CEO of Raleigh-based telecommunications company Celito Communications.

NC TECH Department of Defense Cybersecurity Regulations Workshop

January 26, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (online)

In this NC TECH webinar, IT and cybersecurity leaders will learn about how to comply with new cybersecurity regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Idea to Market: Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Workshops

January 26, 12-2 p.m. (online)

Duke University’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and First Flight Venture Center are hosting three seminars this month covering early-stage ideation, opportunity identification, and go-to-market strategies.

Competitive Edge: How Edge Computing Takes Business to the Next Level

January 26, 4-6 p.m. (online)

RIoT is hosting a virtual event discussing how businesses can take advantage of edge computing technology.

Downtown Techies Happy Hours @Midtown

January 26, 7-9 p.m. @Fox and Hound

Bring your ideas and opinions to the next Midtown Techies meetup. Events are held on the last Tuesday of every month.

Duke MEDx Entrepreneurship Workshop Series

January 26, 7-10 p.m. (online)

Duke MEDx’s free Entrepreneurship Workshop Series features interactive talks from local experts. Events will be held on select Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.

Cary Chamber Breakfast with the Mayor

January 27, 7:30-9 a.m. @Prestonwood Country Club & online

Cary Chamber is hosting a breakfast event with Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, who will recap the last year’s happenings and preview what’s to come in 2021.

2021 Outlook for Tech

January 27, 8:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (online)

NC TECH’s 2021 Outlook for Tech event will center around the theme: “So…What’s Next?” The program will include executive briefing presentations, the release of the NC STIR 2021 report, tech talks, CIO panel discussions and a preview of NC TECH’s next year or programming.

NC4ME & Durham NCWorks Virtual Hiring Event

January 27, 9:45 a.m. – 3 p.m. (online)

NC4ME and NCWorks of Durham are hosting a virtual hiring event to convene recruiters and hiring managers with veterans, transitioning service members, guard/reserves and military spouses.

1 Million Cups RTP

January 27, 9-10 a.m. (online)

1 Million Cups, presented by Kauffman, is a weekly informal pitch event for the startup community. Join for free coffee and entrepreneurial support as local startups deliver their presentations.

Fireside Chat with Eric Happel

January 27, 12-1 p.m. (online)

Launch Chapel Hill and UNC’s Entrepreneurship Center are hosting a fireside chat with Nike retail strategy leader Eric Happel, who will share why he left Nike for a startup, his experience building a startup, and his later return to Nike with newfound experience.

On the Menu: Transitioning to a Career in IT

January 28, 12-1 p.m. (online)

RTP’s On the Menu series returns virtually this month to cover the necessary steps to transition to a new career in IT.

Virtual NC HUB & NC DBE Certification Info Session

January 28, 2:30-4 p.m. (online)

The City of Raleigh is hosting monthly virtual workshops on the benefits of the HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) and DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) certification programs.

Raleigh Chamber Professional Women’s Luncheon

January 29, 10-11:30 a.m. (online)

In this virtual event, local women leaders will deliver short talks about the state of women in leadership.

Triangle Tech Net

January 29, 11:30 a.m. (online)

This free bi-monthly event offers a space for local tech professionals to build connections and find potential job opportunities.

Application Deadline: Pitch – A Competition for Black Student-Founders

January 29

Duke University and North Carolina Central University invite student entrepreneurs and recent alumni to showcase their businesses at pitch: A competition for Black student-founders. Participating entrepreneurs will present their startups and receive expert feedback from investors. Prize money will be awarded.

Application Deadline: 2021 FAST Cohort

January 31

In First Flight Venture Center’s FAST program, 35 life science companies will be chosen to participate in a grant readiness evaluation boot camp in April and receive coaching from Eva Garland Consulting as they develop a competitive SBIR/STTR Phase 1 application.

Application Deadline: Map the System Competition

January 31

Map the System is a pitch competition for social innovations focused on solving complex problems. Teams from UNC will compete for a cash prize of $500, funded by Innovate Carolina’s Dreamers-Who-Do Fund. Finalists will then take part in the global Map the System Challenge.