In 2013, UNCW Chancellor Gary Miller created the the vision to open the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to make the center the leader of a new entrepreneur ecosystem in Wilmington.
Live Oak Bank had already gone public and nCino had been started, including the former leader of the existing entrepreneurship council Jonathon Rowe, who joined nCino as a leader in marketing.
But 7 years later, Wilmington has now been listed as one of the top 100 ecosystems in the WORLD according to Startup Genome. https://startupgenome.com/ecosystems/wilmington
Keep in mind, Wilmington is the 8th largest city in North Carolina and the 245th largest city in America. Here is the full global ranking that includes Raleigh / Durham in the top 10 and Charlotte around 30. https://startupgenome.com/article/rankings-top-100-emerging
But this is a GLOBAL ranking in the top 100.
The Wilmington Business Journal has the story.
https://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/technology/2020/07/17/fostering_a_startup_ecosystem/20639
