Another cohort of North Carolina startups have wrapped up their participation in the GRO Incubator, run by the Center for Entrepreneurial Development (CED). The program culminated as always in a “Demo Day,” with the seven startups that comprised the cohort making five-minute pitches to attendees from the Triangle ecosystem and beyond.
This iteration of GRO Demo Day took place at Cary Founded and was sponsored by Wells Fargo and Michael Best.
The GRO Incubator is a 12-week program held on a biannual basis. Through personalized coaching, targeted workshops, and access to relevant industry experts and an invaluable network, the incubator aims to provide early-stage tech and life sciences founders with the tools and knowledge they need to scale their businesses.
The spring 2025 cohort consisted entirely of Triangle-based startups. There was a particularly heavy focus on health-related ventures, though the Demo Day also showcased projects involving conversational AI, automated influencer marketing, and more.
In the lead-up to Demo Day, CED announced that it has already started accepting applications for its fall cohort. Those interested can see details and apply at this page (with a July 31st application deadline).
Before we turn the page on GRO9, though, here’s a quick look back at the seven startups that pitched, in order of presentation.
- Scale Social AI (Raleigh) provides a means for restaurants and other businesses to turn their existing customers into influencer marketers. Customers share their experiences in exchange for small perks, and from those experiences, the startup’s AI curates video reels for marketing.
“A lot of you might say they are very TikTok-y,” founder Runbin Dong said of the videos. Speaking to the emphasis on and importance of authenticity, he added, “That’s the point.” - Artificially Digital (Durham) delivers an advanced conversational AI platform to streamline interactions, capture valuable data, and boost efficiency.
“Having access to data is not the issue,” founder Ron Berry told attendees. “The problem is whether or not the data is any good.” - Citrus Oncology (Cary) addresses the oft-overlooked issue of side effects and pre-existing conditions among cancer patients. The startup facilitates connections between patients, care providers, and specialists to ensure that conditions are appropriately addressed.
“Our solution is collaborative specialty care,” co-founder Aabid Shariff said. - Tessefi Medical (Triangle) has designed a smart catheter that makes patient monitoring more efficient, prevents uncleanliness and infection, and enhances privacy for patients.
“Our solution is superior because it also provides dignity for the patient,” said founder Dr. Meme Keelen. - Selah Innovations (Triangle) is a startup revolving around a flagship product known as “The Bedet.” This is a hybrid between a bedpan and a bidet that improves hygiene and brings about better infection control in hospital and long-term care settings.
Founder Sebastian Heredia characterized The Bedet as a 21st-century upgrade to 15th-century tech, adding, “Let’s rewrite every crappy bedpan story together.” - Scyntek (Chapel Hill) has developed a non-invasive, at-home means of monitoring blood flow to detect deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
“Our device detects abnormal blood flow early, improving patient outcomes and saving lives,” said co-founder Vignesh Sriram. - Synap Biotech (Raleigh) is using cutting-edge technology and personalized care to improve quality of life for stroke victims and others who are recovering from neurological injuries or conditions.
“We’re trying to initiate the brain to heal itself,” founder Glenn Bock said.
Following the pitches, CED CEO Kelly Rowell offered closing remarks. She gave a shout-out to Startup Programs Lead Preet Mankad, who is instrumental in organizing and leading GRO cohorts; looked back on four and a half years during which the program has produced 76 startup alumni; and praised the founders for their hard work.
Ample networking time ensued, during which attendees got the chance to mingle with the presenting founders. By and large, those founders conveyed that they’d benefited from mentorship, specific crafting of pitches and strategies, and the community that forms through participation in the incubator.
“We were moving too fast,” Citrus Oncology Co-Founder Aabid Shariff offered. “The insights [gained through mentorship] really helped us get the basics right.”
Scale Social Founder Runbin Dong praised the program and noted that he and his team had benefited most from furthering their exposure to the CED and GRO networks.
Once again, if you’re a founder (or know one) who might be interested in applying for GRO10, you can do so at this page.
Below are some photos from the GRO9 Demo Day.
