Social Venture networking organization comes to Chapel Hill

Frustrated with Chapel Hill’s lack of entrepreneurial opportunities, a UNC alumnus is working to give students a shot at success in the business world.

Julian Wooten started Social Venture Chapel Hill, a business networking organization, in an effort to connect UNC students with local entrepreneurs.

Social Venture hosted its kickoff event Thursday at Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery with 125 attendees.

“I wanted to create a Chapel Hill-based platform where people can connect with one another,” Wooten said.

“I wanted to find a way that students can be introduced to innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Wooten said he developed the idea for Social Venture after having difficulty connecting with members of Chapel Hill’s business community.

When Wooten developed STENCIL, a software for tracking student progress, as a student in UNC’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy, he had to travel across the state to promote it because Chapel Hill didn’t offer the same resources as other communities.

“We wanted to fill that void because we think there is a lot of good innovative spirit here — but no outlet for it,” said Thomas Bryant, business coordinator for Social Venture.

Bryant said student involvement is critical to the success of the organization.

He added that events for the entrepreneurship community are typically for investors and startups, so there isn’t a lot of opportunity for fledgling student entrepreneurs to get involved.

Bryant said Chapel Hill has a lot of young talent and enthusiasm but doesn’t provide a starting point for people with big ideas and talent.

He added that many young entrepreneurs are forced to move to Raleigh or Durham to have their talents appreciated.

Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt attended Thursday’s event. Social Venture will host events on the second Thursday of each month, and Bryant said the organization hopes to host the next one at Chapel Hill’s new — and first — business incubator, which will be located at the former 3 Birds Marketing office at 321 W. Rosemary St.

Junior Will Bennett, who attended the event and works with STENCIL, said Kleinschmidt made a few remarks about how local entrepreneurs can turn the area into a leading avenue for technology, social growth and social ventures to help improve the community.

He said he learned there is a huge need in the business community for people with a background in technology.

“As a computer science major, I really enjoyed speaking to different entrepreneurs and people from the business community and getting their take on how they use their technology in their ventures,” Bennett said.

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