The startup scene in United States

Fayetteville State University’s EDA University Center describes entrepreneurship support across six counties, including Cumberland County, and attributes the center’s establishment to a U.S. Economic Development Administration grant. The Fayetteville-Cumberland Regional Entrepreneur & Business HUB lists an address at 1073 Murchison Road and advertises procurement support. (Claims 94720, 94721, 94722, 94723)

Fayetteville State University announced an NCInnovation regional hub in October 2024 and identified defense as a focus. In December 2025, FSU reported a $750,000 award for Sambit Bhattacharya’s Army-oriented AI research and described an applied project with XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg using simulated imagery to train AI models. FSU’s Research Office describes patent support and licensing as commercialization pathways. (Claims 94747, 94748, 94749, 94750, 94751, 94752)

Local business examples include Systel, which says it was founded in Fayetteville on November 1, 1981, identifies Fayetteville as its headquarters, describes itself as independent and family-owned, and traces its evolution from copier sales to business technology. A Chamber-hosted profile dates Advanced Internet Technologies’ origin to 1995 and describes it as an infrastructure and hosting business; the profile identifies Fayetteville as its headquarters. April 2023 reporting said AIT would remain in its building after its sale. (Claims 94732, 94733, 94734, 94735, 94736, 94737, 94738, 94739)

CEED traces its Fayetteville origin to 1990 and describes financial education and consulting through its Business Center. Its loan page lists financing of $2,500 to $200,000 subject to fund availability, while its startup FAQ gives a maximum of $20,000 for businesses operating less than six months. As inspected October 4, 2026, CEED’s page provided an information-only inquiry form, not a loan application, and funding availability and underwriting were unverified. (Claims 94724, 94725, 94726, 94727, 94757)