Planting the Seeds of Connection
Charlotte’s Health Innovation Network Finds Its First Shape
On July 31, about 40 people gathered in a conference room at Atrium Health’s Kenilworth campus — just a few blocks from The Pearl — to start asking a bigger question:
What would it take for Charlotte to become the most connected, founder-friendly health innovation hub in the country?
The session was hosted by Craig Scharton (Connect Labs @ The Pearl) and Hannah Maeda (The Nichols Company), and brought together founders, funders, researchers, educators, and a mix of other ecosystem builders.
It wasn’t a structured session. More like a sensing moment — a way to take stock of who’s here, what people care about, and where things might go next.
What Stood Out in the Room
People were hungry to connect.
There was a real sense of openness. A lot of folks said they hadn’t realized how many others were working on similar things — or how siloed they’d felt until now.
“Kind” landed better than expected.
The working name — KIND Health CLT — sparked some good back-and-forth. It’s an acronym (Knowledge, Innovation, Network, Discovery), but more importantly, people liked that it felt human. Collaborative. Friendly. Less gatekept.
David Ehrlichman gave us some useful framing.
His “Impact Networks” model helped name what’s already starting to happen — a move from top-down structures toward more distributed, trust-based connection. Some of it leaned conceptual, but the idea of “scaling out through relationships” definitely resonated.
A Few Takeaways
“No one’s really competing on being the friendliest, most trusted ecosystem — and that’s a lane Charlotte could own.”
— Craig Scharton, Connect Labs @ The Pearl
Charlotte might win on feel, not funding.
We’re not Atlanta or Boston when it comes to VC or NIH grants — but that doesn’t mean we can’t be the most welcoming place to build in health innovation. People kept coming back to trust, inclusion, and emotional intelligence as the region’s edge.
The Pearl is a gravitational force — but still fragmented.
Even though this session happened near The Pearl, most major players from Atrium, Novant, or the med school weren’t in the room. That’s not a problem, but it does raise a live question: Are we building something that plugs into those institutions — or something more grassroots alongside them?
The network map is a solid start — if we do something with it.
We saw early connections forming across neuro, AI, and startup support. But the value will come if people start using that map to launch pilots, find mentors, or collaborate in real ways — not just visualize the ecosystem but activate it.
Tensions That Came Up (Or Are Still Hanging in the Air)
“We’ve got a lot of cooks in the kitchen. Everyone wants their priority at the top of the list. It’s a lot to navigate.”
— Kate Burgess, Project Manager, The Pearl
Access vs. Alignment
A lot of folks came hoping to get closer to big players — Atrium, Novant, the med school, funders. But those leaders mostly weren’t in the room. So the question is: if this grows, how do we keep it open and connected to the people actually shaping decisions and investments?
Inclusion vs. Focus
There’s energy from all over — life sciences, AI, digital health, workforce development. But the center of gravity isn’t clear yet. Do we try to include everyone? Or sharpen the focus so it’s easier to take action?
Grassroots or Bridge?
Right now, this feels like a grassroots network of peers. But if it’s going to last, it may need to become a bridge — to institutions, capital, infrastructure. That choice will shape how this thing’s built, and who it serves.
What’s Next
At the end of the session, people were invited to help shape what comes next. No formal roadmap. No fixed structure. Just a live question:
What kind of future are we trying to build — and how do we build it together?
In a world where ecosystems often get branded before they’re real, this one’s taking a different route. Slower. More relational. Less scripted.
It’s not perfect. But it’s honest. And maybe that’s the right way to start.
“My work is unique in that I’m interested in how we look at short-term needs and also do a little bit of cathedral building.”
— Dr. Richard Cox, Senior Strategist for Community and Social Impact, Atrium Health / The Pearl