The Audacity to Build an Equitable Future: How echo Continues Quinci King's Vision

When Quinci King graduated from Duke in 2020, he had learned something fundamental: building businesses shouldn't be a privilege reserved for those with existing wealth, connections, or access to capital. That principle drives echo today, the downtown Durham innovation hub that grew from his undergraduate project, Audacity Labs, after its merger with Helius Foundation.

The challenge Quinci identified during his time on campus hasn't gone away. The Triangle is booming with technology companies and new ventures, yet the prosperity remains concentrated. Black entrepreneurs own less than 6% of businesses in North Carolina while representing more than 22% of residents. Latino business ownership sits below 10%, and women founders capture less than 10% of venture capital. Those without existing advantages are systematically shut out. echo isn't simply solving this problem we're actively supporting one entrepreneur after the other. 

From Classroom Concept to Community Movement

The origin story began in a Duke I&E Social Innovation course. Quinci created a partnership bringing together the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, Duke I&E, and Hillside High School students. Teenagers immersed themselves in human centered design principles, software development, and lean methodology, then showcased their community focused ventures publicly in the Bullpen.

This pilot's momentum led to Audacity Labs. Backed by Duke I&E's Design to Impact funding and TechStars support, the model centered on helping Durham high schoolers spot local problems and develop tangible responses. "That was the beginning of everything," Quinci reflects. "We compensated our mentors properly, invested in our participants, and created something the community recognized as their own."

Creating Self Sustaining Networks of Support

echo's evolution has amplified the original mission. Over the last year and a half, echo has supported the creation of more than 30 new businesses and channeled over $275,000 into the community through various mechanisms—grants, service contracts, vendor relationships, internship compensation, stipends, educational scholarships, and recognition awards.

The "entrepreneurs building entrepreneurs" framework establishes connection based networks where established business owners guide, encourage, and financially back emerging founders, generating perpetual momentum for collective advancement. The foundation remains empathy driven. "Understanding genuine needs rather than assumptions about needs," Quinci emphasizes, "is where meaningful change starts."

Fuel the Journey. Fund the Future.

This transformational impact requires consistent resources and people dedicated to economic equity. That's why this Giving Season, echo is inviting new partners to join the Investment Journey.

Every Dollar Does Double Duty

Your gift builds a business and builds a more equitable Triangle. When you invest in echo, you're supporting Black, Brown, immigrant, and first-gen entrepreneurs and teens who are building businesses in the middle of rising costs and uneven access to capital.

Right now, many early-stage founders and teens are navigating inflation, shifting job markets, and family responsibilities without a safety net. Your investment means they can stay in the game instead of pressing pause on their dreams.

Four Pathways for Your Investment

50% of every dollar given during Giving Season goes straight into the Creative Capital Pool for 2026 – funding grants, stipends, retainers, and pitch awards that move money directly into the hands of founders.

Pathway 1: Teen Futures Scholarships

Fuel a teen founder's first paid opportunity through internships, stipends, and scholarships so they can earn while they learn.

Pathway 2: Program Power

Power the design sprints, incubators, coaching, and tailored learning that help founders turn ideas into sustainable businesses.

Pathway 3: Creative Capital Pool

Turn your gift into a "double-duty dollar" that pays an entrepreneur, pays their suppliers, funds youth jobs, and keeps circulating in the neighborhood instead of leaking out.

Pathway 4: echo Every Day

Be the steady beat behind the bold ideas – the infrastructure that keeps doors open and the community center model alive year-round.

Real Impact, Real Community

Your investment directly finances the ongoing mentorship, educational programming, and infrastructure converting aspirations into operational businesses. This funding enables another $275K+ flowing to entrepreneurs. This creates 30+ additional businesses. This narrows the opportunity divide.

When you give to echo, you'll be supporting founders across the entire journey, from teenagers testing first business concepts to established owners expanding successful operations, all telling authentic stories about obstacles, development, and breakthroughs.

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