In case you haven’t heard, there are some exciting things happening in Wilson, NC! RIoT launched the RAP X cohort at the Gig East Exchange on February 16th. RAP X is the third cohort for Wilson and tenth overall for RIoT.
Startup founders hailing across regions of North Carolina, New York, Atlanta, and South Africa will converge in Wilson to learn and grow together over 12-weeks and will conclude the program with the return of Pitch Night as part of the Gig East Summit on May 20th.
During the first week of the program, the cohort attended orientation and studied foundational business principles. When the hard work was done, it was time to learn about and experience Historic Downtown Wilson! After learning about some of Wilson’s influential citizens, like Sallie B. Howard, the team set out on a scavenger hunt.
The first stop was in one of the many hidden Artsy Alleys located downtown. They then visited RAP Alumni Shawna Moses at her Kinky Tresses location on Tarboro Street. The team heard firsthand how RAP helps startups scale, grow, and expand.
The team proceeded to enjoy some of the larger than life Eyes on Main Street Wilson Outdoor Photo Festival exhibits. Then it was time to take a short walk to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for some whale watching! At this point on the hunt, the team was ready for some shopping and headed over the Selkie to check out the collection of Made in NC gifts.
Speaking of made in NC, did you know that North Carolina’s Folk Art was born in Wilson? RAP X discovered this after visiting the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Museum and Park! After all of the walking and exploring, it was time for the team to relax and reward themselves at the brewery with the best brews and views around. RIoT looks forward to exploring more of Historic Downtown Wilson during their twelve weeks together.