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2/23-3/5: Launch and company submission period3/6: Companies are informed of their selection status3/12: Live selection show for our Exceptional Eight!3/31-4/8: Exceptional Eight competitions resulting in the Fabulous Four4/9-4/14: Fabulous Four competitions resulting in our Finalists4/16: Tweener Madness Championship and winner announced!
Tweener Madness
An 8-company bracket-style competition with a $25,000 investment awarded to one winning 'pre-tweener' startup.
Background and Highlights
launched the first Tweener Madness event to shine a bright spotlight on the amazing Triangle startup ecosystem in March of 2025. The contest involves 8 startups who will compete for the $25k investment prize and 21 selection committee members that are local institutional or angel investors.
This year we’re back and expanding the competition to all of North Carolina!
Each competition in the bracket will feature two companies and their founders facing off with a selection committee of three judges.
The contests are released as NC Tweener Talks and podcasts, with commentary coming out regularly in the newsletter. A total of 7 long-form podcasts are released throughout the tournament as the 8 teams compete for the top spot.
High-level Timeline
The high-level timeline for Tweener Madness is:
Sponsors
Tweener Madness was created in partnership between and . The winner of Tweener Madness receives a $25,000 investment from the NC Tweener Fund.
And a special thanks to our sponsors for making this possible:
NC IDEA
NC IDEA is an independent private, 501(c)(3) foundation whose vision is to help North Carolinians achieve their entrepreneurial ambition to start and grow high potential companies. NC IDEA fosters sustainable economic development with competitive grants and programs for entrepreneurs and funding to strengthen the North Carolina entrepreneurial ecosystem. NC IDEA offers grant funding and support on the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
Platinum
View NC IDEA's Website
Balentine
Balentine is a boutique wealth management firm focused on serving entrepreneurs, business owners, and their families across generations. Turning success into significance. We help founders translate their wins into lasting family impact, so wealth fuels purpose, not pressure.
Gold
View Balentine's Website
Eisneramper
EisnerAmper is among the nation's largest full-service advisory and accounting firms providing audit, accounting and tax services, as well as complete suite of professional advisory services to a broad range of clients across many industries.
Gold
View Eisneramper's Website
Robinson Bradshaw
Robinson Bradshaw understands the unique legal and strategic business needs of startup and emerging growth companies and the entrepreneurs behind them. We have represented hundreds of entrepreneurial companies across a broad range of industries and have adopted best practices uniquely suited to meet those needs.
Gold
View Robinson Bradshaw's Website
Automated Consulting Group
Automated Consulting Group cuts through AI hype for executives. Hands-on workshops, fractional AI leadership, and deployment-ready AI solutions that work.
Silver
View Automated Consulting Group's Website
Bank of America
Bank of America offers a range of services that can be beneficial for entrepreneurs and startups in the RTP area.
Silver
View Bank of America's Website
Finally, special thanks to who donated the space for the Tweener Madness recording studio
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