When Greensboro Startup Week wrapped up its 2026 programming on April 27, Tuggle Duggins was right where you’d expect to find us — sponsoring the event, sitting on panels and connecting with the founders, funders and friends who make this corner of the Triad such a vibrant place to build something new. 

Tuggle Duggins’ attorney Blake Hurt brought his perspective to a session on the intellectual property questions every startup should have on its radar, and attorneys Natalie Folmar and Cory Rayborn joined a panel with Mubarak Shah from Smith Leonard Accountants & Consultants on how to set a business up from the front end to be sale-ready when the time comes.

It was our third year as a sponsor. That’s every year Startup Week has happened.

Why We Keep Showing Up

There’s a reason we don’t just write a check and call it a day. Tuggle Duggins has built its practice around serving businesses at every phase of the lifecycle — from the napkin-sketch stage through scale, succession and everything in between. Startup Week is one of the rare gatherings where you can meet a founder on day one of their company and an investor who’s seen numerous exits, all in the same coffee line.

For our attorneys, that’s not just networking. It’s a chance to hear what’s actually keeping entrepreneurs up at night, what’s shifting in the funding landscape and where the legal questions are getting harder. Showing up year after year means we’re not catching up — we’re paying attention.

On the Panels

Our team participated in multiple panels throughout the week’s programming, weighing in on the questions founders wrestle with early and often, including entity formation, founder agreements, fundraising mechanics, IP protection and the human-side conversations that don’t always get the airtime they deserve.

We also stayed available between sessions for the hallway conversations. We know that the quick “hey, can I ask you something” moments often matter more to founders than anything on the official schedule.

Demystifying the Lawyer Conversation

One of the things we appreciate most about Startup Week is the chance to meet entrepreneurs before they think they need an attorney. A lot of founders carry assumptions about what working with a law firm looks like — that it’s expensive, intimidating or reserved solely for moments of crisis. We’d rather have a cup of coffee early, when the questions are smaller and the solutions are manageable. 

“It is great to be part of a law firm focused on all phases of a business entity’s life cycle. Being heavily involved in Startup Week is a great chance to impart some knowledge to new entrepreneurs while helping to break some of the myths some folks have about working with attorneys.”
— Cory Rayborn, Director

Looking Ahead

We’re already looking forward to year four. If you connected with one of our attorneys during the week, expect to hear from us. And if we missed you — pull up a chair. The door’s open year-round.

Special thanks to Joey Cheek of the Greensboro Chamber and the entire Launch Greensboro ecosystem for their commitment to the founders building in the Triad area and for inviting us to be a part of this incredible event since its inception.

Please enjoy the images below from our weeklong participation in Greensboro Startup Week.