CED is a community of people inspired by entrepreneurship, and includes a wide range of members including startup companies, more mature growth-stage firms, investors, service partners, academics, and individuals.

CED provides education, mentoring and capital formation resources to new and existing high-growth entrepreneurs through annual conferences, forums, workshops and programs on entrepreneurial management and finance.

CED has helped entrepreneurs in a myriad of industries and at all stages of development – from high-tech, life sciences, and service companies, from one-person start-ups to 1,000-person businesses.

With more than 4,000 active participants representing over 700 companies, CED is the largest entrepreneurial support organization of its kind in the United States. All who wish to be part of this dynamic enterprise are invited to participate.

CED was founded in 1984, and later incorporated as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, to identify, enable and promote high-growth, high-impact companies and accelerate the entrepreneurial culture of the Research Triangle and North Carolina.