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Applications open · Fall 2026

Six weeks to turn your idea into a real startup.

A free, in-person program for student founders in grades 9 and up. Come solo and we will match you with a team, or bring your own. From Chapel Hill to RTP, we plug student teams straight into the Triangle startup scene.

Apply for the cohortSee the six weeks

First session begins in

Dates
Sept 14 — Oct 19, 2026
Sessions
Six Mondays · 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Eligibility
Grades 9 and up
Venue
Frontier RTP, Building 600
Cost
Free
Closing night
Oct 19 — Final Pitch Night
600 Park Offices Drive, RTP, NC 27713

The cohort so far

Six Mondays, as they happen

Frontier RTP, Building 600

Not a gallery — every frame from every session, in order, as we go.

02

Founder Networking Night

Sept 21

The night we opened the room. Founders and operators from around the Triangle came in, talked about what the early days actually looked like, and then stayed so the cohort could ask them anything.

Three students in conversation with a visiting founder in the corridor outside the room
The conversations moved out into the corridor
Three students talking with a visiting operator outside the session room
Twenty minutes with someone who has already done it
The room during the networking night, with the instruction on screen
The only instruction that mattered
Students and visiting founders talking in small groups after the talks
What the night was actually for
A visiting founder speaking to the cohort during week two
Guests took the room one at a time
The full room at the Founder Networking Night
Week two, and nobody left early
A visiting operator talking to the seated cohort
What the early days were really like
A guest speaking to students during the networking night
Questions from the floor, no slides
A Capture Success organiser opening the Founder Networking Night
Opening the night

01

Foundations

Sept 14

First session. Everyone in one room, laptops open, working on whatever they already had.

The Capture Success banner hung at Frontier RTP before the first session
Set up before the doors opened
The full room at the first session of the Fall 2026 cohort
Week one — Frontier RTP, Building 600
A student team working on laptops during the first session
Teams heads-down straight after the session
Students seated for the opening session of the accelerator
Kickoff — six Mondays to go
Students building at the tables during week one
Everyone brought something they were already working on
Two students holding the Capture Success banner outside Frontier RTP at night
Packing up outside Building 600
Three students working on laptops at the first session
Week one, second half
Organisers running the first session from the front of the room
Running the room ourselves
A Capture Success organiser talking to the room during week one
Week one, from the front
Students finding seats before the first session starts
Doors open at six
An organiser presenting to the seated room during week one
First session, Sept 14

Partners

The room we put you in

Mentors · Speakers · Judges · Sponsors

Six weeks inside the Triangle startup scene, with the organizations that actually build here.

Hub RTP — Research Triangle Park's downtownHub RTPVenue sponsorFrontier RTP — Building 600Frontier RTPVenue partnerJason's DeliJason's DeliCatering partnerThe University of North Carolina at Chapel HillUNC-Chapel HillEcosystem partnerDuke Innovation & EntrepreneurshipDuke I&EEcosystem partnerDiamond ChallengeDiamond ChallengeCompetition partnerLaunch Chapel HillLaunch Chapel HillStartup acceleratorCED — Council for Entrepreneurial DevelopmentCEDEntrepreneur networkWake Tech Entrepreneurship CenterWake TechEntrepreneurship centerRaleigh–Durham Startup Co.RD Startup Co.Startup community
Place4NeedsPlace4NeedsCommunity partner
SKEMA Business School — Raleigh campusSKEMABusiness school partnerJack Rabbit Signs — Raleigh, NCJack Rabbit SignsSignage partnerNC State EntrepreneurshipNC StateEcosystem partner

The programme

Six weeks. Real deadlines.

Define the problem, test the demand, build the product, make the business work, tell the story.

Lock your problem, your customer, and your six-week goal.

  • Founder introductions
  • Six-week goals
  • Problem definition
  • Customer identification

Open nights

Two of the six are open to the Triangle

Free to attend · Frontier RTP, Building 600

You do not have to be in the cohort to come to these. Register on Luma and show up.

Week 2 · Monday, September 21

6:00 – 8:00 PM

Founder Networking Night

The night we open the room. Triangle founders come talk to the cohort about what they are building and what the early days actually looked like, then stay so the students can ask them anything.

Confirmed

  • Doug Schepers — CEO, Fizz Studio
  • Austin Carroll — CEO, Warrant
  • Malhar Shah — Founder and CEO, microWatt

Founders at any stage, operators and mentors. No prep, no slides, and you do not need to stay the full two hours.

Register on Luma

Doors 5:30 · free parking on site

Week 6 · Monday, October 19

6:00 – 8:00 PM

Pitch Competition and Demo Day

The final night. Every team pitches to a judging panel, awards come out of a $2,000 prize pool, and then the room opens into networking. These founders are 15 to 18 and have spent six weeks getting here.

Judges confirmed

  • Daniel Coley — Cofounders Capital

The panel is still forming — get in touch if you want a seat on it.

Investors, founders, operators, educators, and anyone who wants to see what Triangle teenagers are actually building. Come ask hard questions.

Register on Luma

Doors 5:30 · free parking on site

What participants get

Support tied to the work

01

Weekly working sessions

Six structured workshops, each tied to a clear stage of building.

02

Direct mentorship

One-on-one and team guidance throughout the program.

03

Experienced feedback

Practical input from entrepreneurs and business-support organizations.

04

Triangle connections

Meet startup leaders, founders, and other student teams.

05

Product and pitch coaching

Refine the product, the business model, the story, and the final presentation.

06

Relevant introductions

Connections to partners, programs, and resources that fit your venture.

07

A public finish

Team apparel and a professional showcase for six weeks of progress.

How to join

Bring your team. Sign up.

Open the application

About two minutes — we care about the idea, not the essay.

01

Grab your team

Or come solo — we will match you with people building something similar.

02

Grades 9 and up

Every member fills out their own application so we know who is coming.

03

Show up Sept 14

6:00 PM at Frontier RTP, Building 600 — 600 Park Offices Drive, RTP.

Questions

Before you apply

Still unsure? Email capturesuccess.inc@gmail.com

Who can apply?

Any student founder in grades 9 and up. Come solo and we will match you with a team, or bring your own — every member fills out their own application.

How much does it cost?

Nothing. The program is completely free to join.

Do I need an idea already?

You need something to work on, but it can be early. Applications range from 'just an idea' to 'making revenue' — week one exists to sharpen the direction.

What if I miss a Monday?

The program is built as a sequence, so we ask you to commit to all six. If you know about a conflict, say so on the application and we will work with you.

Can my whole team join?

Yes. Teams of two, three, four, or more are welcome, and every member fills out their own application so we know who is coming. Applying solo is fine too — we will match you with a team.

What happens at the end?

Week six on October 19 is Final Pitch Night. Teams pitch live to judges and the Triangle startup community — including our ecosystem partners.

Build with us this fall.

Sept 14 — Oct 19, 2026 · Mondays 6:00 – 8:00 PM · Frontier RTP · Free. Final pitch night on Oct 19.

Open the application
Students and visiting founders talking in small groups after the talks