This week on Ecosysteming we are joined by Paul Corson. With nearly three decades of experience pursuing entrepreneurial initiatives across the U.S., Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia, Paul’s work spans the public and private sectors, NGOs, and higher education. His journey has taken him from startups to shaping public policy at the federal level for the Secretary of Commerce, NASA, and the White House.

He now serves as Chief Innovation and Entrepreneurship Officer at The University of Texas at Arlington, where he leads efforts to spur regional innovation and economic development based on research and technology developed at UTA.

Tune in to explore how university led innovation and entrepreneurship touch more parts of our lives than we often realize.

In Episode 18 of Ecosysteming, we are joined by Laura Smailes, Relationship Manager at Everblue and former Assistant Director of Charlotte’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI). A longtime NC IDEA MICRO reviewer, Laura has helped shape Charlotte’s entrepreneurial landscape by supporting students, faculty, and community partners in developing ideas and sparking innovation. Her work has helped strengthen NC IDEA’s presence in the Queen City and deepen support for high growth companies in the state. Want to get more involved in your local startup ecosystem? This episode is for you.

In this episode of Ecosysteming, host Thom Ruhe speaks with Mayor Leonardo Williams of Durham, North Carolina, about leadership, economic development, entrepreneurship, and the untold story behind his viral speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.

Mayor Williams reflects on his journey—from music teacher to entrepreneur to public office—and shares how he and his wife, Zwelibanzi Moyo Williams, opened the first Zimbabwean restaurant in the U.S. with just $36,000 and a dream. He explains how those early entrepreneurial lessons now shape his work in public office, and what’s next for the City of Durham.