Unlocking Opportunity Summit Returns to Winston-Salem This September, Connecting Entrepreneurs with Capital, Contracts and Community

Two-day event features a $6,000 pitch competition, updates on new SBA loan guarantee programs, and a keynote from national entrepreneurship advocate Thom Ruhe of NC IDEA.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Winston-Salem Women's Business Center will host the Unlocking Opportunity Summit 2026: Capital, Contracts & Connections for Business Growth on September 24–25 at The Enterprise Center, bringing together entrepreneurs, lenders, contracting experts, and economic development partners for two days of pitching, learning, and networking designed to move small businesses forward.

“The resources, relationships, and opportunities are in the room — you just need to take the next step,” organizers said in announcing this year’s Summit, which is built around three pillars entrepreneurs consistently say they need most: access to capital, access to contracts, and access to the right connections.

Pitch Night Kicks Off the Summit

The Summit opens Thursday, September 24, from 5 to 8 p.m. with Pitch Night, where ten entrepreneurs will compete across Start-Up/Ideation and Established Business categories for a combined $6,000 in cash prizes. Each presenter will deliver a five-minute pitch followed by a two-minute question-and-answer period with judges. Pitch applications and initial pitch decks are due September 1 at 11:59 p.m., and an All-Access Pass is required to participate. Winners will be announced the following day at the Friday Summit.

A Full Day of Capital, Contracts and Connections

On Friday, September 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the Summit continues with a full day of panels, presentations, mini sessions, and speed networking. Entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to meet directly with partner agencies — including traditional and non-traditional lenders, state and local contracting representatives, and regional entrepreneurial support organizations — to learn about resources available for capital, contracting, and business growth.

The morning includes a presentation on SBA-backed capital and contracting programs from Aregnaz “Ari” Mooradian, Deputy District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s North Carolina District Office. The SBA is eager to share new tools designed to cut red tape and advocate on behalf of small businesses, along with details on its loan guarantee program — including new loan guarantees and increased loan amounts the agency is highlighting for its bank partners.

Attendees can also choose from three mini sessions built around the Summit’s core themes: Capital Readiness – What Your Numbers Need to Say; Contract Readiness – From Capability to Contract; and Sales Readiness – Marketing That Converts.

Powerhouse Panel of Business Women

The morning’s Opportunities Through Bootstrapping panel brings together a lineup of accomplished business leaders sharing their entrepreneurship journeys, including Winston-Salem City Councilwoman Vivian Joyner; Celeste Beatty, nationally known brewer and owner of Harlem Brewing Company; Q. Nicole Vanderhorst, Founder and CEO of WH Farms Co., a USDA-licensed, vertically integrated botanical manufacturing company operating in an industry valued at $82 billion; Taylor Davis, founder of Troodie; and Christen Funderburk, owner of Lizzie’s All Natural Products.

Keynote Address from Thom Ruhe, NC IDEA

The Friday lunch keynote will feature Thom Ruhe, President and CEO of NC IDEA, a nationally recognized advocate for supporting entrepreneurship ecosystems and for teaching the entrepreneurial mindset to people at every stage of business ownership.

How to Register

Registration for both Pitch Night and the Friday Summit opens July 6, 2026. Space for Pitch Night is limited to ten founders. Entrepreneurs, lenders, contracting professionals, and community partners are invited to attend.

Learn more and register at the Unlocking Opportunity Summit registration page.

About the Winston-Salem Women's Business Center

The Winston-Salem Women's Business Center provides entrepreneurs with the training, counseling, and connections they need to start, grow, and sustain successful businesses. Through events like the Unlocking Opportunity Summit, the Center partners with lenders, government agencies, and regional organizations to expand access to capital, contracts, and business growth resources across the Piedmont Triad. The Center is supported by funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration and is led by staff of Winston-Salem State University.

Media Contact:

Carol Davis — Winston-Salem Women's Business Center 336-554-7349 | Davisc@wssu.edu