The Deep End ·Friday, Dec 4th · 5:30 - 8:00 PM
The Deep End:
No One Jumps Alone
Entrepreneurship is like jumping into the deep end of the pool. At echo, we believe no one should jump alone.
INSIDE THE deep end
The Night We All Built
At last year’s Deep End, you FIN-anced 2026. Scroll to see what your investment made possible.
You invested in us. Expansion to an entrepreneurial community hub with 5000 sq/ft.
Launched One Million Cups in January. 43 presenters + 1190 community guests. Over 1,000 members and guests joined in for programs, special events, and community.
Just in Q3, we re-invested $38K through stipends, awards, and contracts. Including our first Pitch & Prosper.
Triangle teens don’t just join our Teens Tackle and Future Founders programs; they run them, from community design sessions to the first ever teen-led festival in Durham’s Central Park.
WHAT’S AT STAKE IN 2027
The Cost of Standing Still
Founders from historically overlooked communities already face higher barriers to capital and fewer trusted networks. echo exists to close that gap by investing in them directly. But echo only works as long as this community keeps showing up for it. This is what depends on December 4.
What your support has already done
~$400K
invested directly in entrepreneurs
88%
of entrepreneurs surveyed made real progress on their goals
128
paid leadership roles for young people
1. The founder builds alone, again
If we get there: Capital flows back out to echo members in 2027, and founders keep their mentors, their introductions and their people.
If we fall short: The grants, contracts and stipends that put capital in founders’ hands next year shrink, and the trusted network around them gets thinner. The Triangle keeps growing, and founders from overlooked communities are left outside the rooms where the money and the connections are.
2. A young person never gets the chance to lead
If we get there: More teens leading, building skills, making money, & giving back to their community.
If we fall short: Fewer young people hear “you can run this” and get paid to prove it.
3. Businesses fail to launch or grow
If we get there: A community of owners builds a stronger, more equitable region, which is the economy we’re all part of.
If we fall short: Fewer owners from our own neighborhoods, which means a smaller, less equitable local economy.
The leap is always theirs. The landing is ours to build, and December 4 is when we build it.
Where your gift goes
Every Dollar Dives into the Community
The Deep End is how echo funds the year ahead. Here’s what each level of support makes possible.
The SpringBoaRd
$10,000
Underwrites the grants, stipends, scholarships awarded to echo entrepreneurs.
The Next Wave
$5,000
Underwrites 16 seats for teens and featured founders, plus their moment on stage.
The Life Preservers
$500 - $1,000
Funds facilitation and workshop contracts.
Smaller gifts count toward our $100,000 goal too.
COME ON December 4th
Take the Leap With Us
So, No One Jumps Alone
On December 4, we’re raising $100,000 so the next founder and the next teen don’t have to take the leap alone. Come celebrate with us, bring a table, or give a gift if you can’t be there.
The Deep End: No One Jumps Alone
An evening to celebrate entrepreneurs and fund their next leap.
Questions? [email protected] · 919-697-8306
© 2026 Echo Events. All rights reserved. Curated for founders, operators, and visionary investors.