The Raleigh-Durham area brings together research, education, and entrepreneurship to create meaningful opportunities for emerging founders. Through the Bold Path Fellowship, participants can tap into the region's expertise, networks, and support as they build and grow their businesses.
The Triangle offers entrepreneurs access to an extensive startup ecosystem that includes accelerators, incubators, investors, industry expertise, and more than 40 coworking spaces. At the center of the region is Research Triangle Park, the nation's largest research park, which spans 7,000 acres and is home to hundreds of companies, startups, academic institutions, and nonprofits.
The region's talent pipeline includes 12 colleges and universities and eight community colleges, with approximately 176,000 students studying in the Triangle. Its three major research universities-Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-attract nearly $3 billion in federal research and development funding each year and have helped launch hundreds of startup companies. The region is also home to several historically Black colleges and universities, including North Carolina Central University.
Local collaboration is central to the Fellowship's place-based approach. NC IDEA Foundation helps the Fellowship build relationships with postsecondary institutions, entrepreneurial support organizations, and community members, while Durham-based Provident1898 provides an additional connection to the region's entrepreneurial community. Together, these partnerships help ensure the program reflects local needs and opportunities.
Meet the Triangle Cohort Fellows
The Raleigh-Durham location has welcomed one cohort to date. Learn more about each fellow below.
2026-27 Cohort
Mikal Ali is building Blossoms Village, a Durham-based international beekeeping education and youth development program that provides agricultural training, certifications, paid stipends, and connections with beekeepers and farmers in North Carolina and Ghana to advance environmental stewardship, entrepreneurship, and cultural identity.AR/VA hardware.
Tiffany Degbotse is building EchoML, a conversational platform that enables technical and non-technical users to ask machine-learning models about their decisions and receive plain-language, evidence-based explanations grounded in historical patterns.
Rich Gilliam is the Founder of STEM PLUG,aK-12 robotics education platform combining buildable kits and story-based curriculum to help students develop technical and problem-solving skills through relatable, hands-on experiences offered to schools, youth organizations, and families.
Bilal lssifou leads Unchained, a Gen Z-focused creator and ambassador marketplace that connects brands with student leaders and digital creators for campaigns, campus activations, and recruiting while providing paid opportunities and professional experience across a large multi-industry network.
Ellora McTaggart is the Founder of Carolina Instruments, which develops patented compact, wearable, pupil-tracking technology that captures neuroscience-grade data on attention, cognitive effort, and neurological health at higher speeds than existing wearables for research labs and eventual integration into consumer AR/VR hardware.