Aired on March 8, 2026

• Tech Start-Ups, Incubator, Economic Development

The work of Rachael Newberry and her colleagues at RIoT and NC IDEA involves asking the hard questions of technology entrepreneurs who have an idea and want to know how to bring it to market. They nurture, facilitate, coach, build confidence and trust and help find the quickest path to revenue. But Rachael came out of a liberal arts education not tech, and she’s a woman in a primarily male world so she brings special skills that help growing business owners thrive.

Rachael Newberry has deep experience leading innovation programs and technology-based economic development initiatives in partnership with organizations like RIoT, NC IDEA, and municipal government leaders. Rachael launched the RIoT Accelerator Program in 2018, leading growth to six locations and advising 160+ startups that have created 500+ jobs and generated more than $150 Million in revenue. Rachael also acts as a liaison between public and private sector partners to spur collaboration in the smart cities space and support entrepreneurial ecosystem development. Previously, Rachael built and ran a behavioral science-focused startup program at Duke University (though she is a proud UNC alum), where her work was featured at Google and in Forbes and Inc. Magazine.

“On The Porch” is hosted by Randolph ”Randy” Voller. He is also the publisher of Chatham County Line. Randy welcomes guests to the show who are from the communities of art, academia, business, and politics for friendly and informative conversations. “On The Porch” airs every Sunday at 6AM and is repeated at 11 AM, 6 PM and 9 PM on WCHL-FM 97.9. The show also streams on ChapelBoro.com, Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Current and previous shows of “On The Porch” are posted as on-demand, ad-free podcasts at ChapelBoro.com, Spotify and Apple Podcasts
To be a guest on the show or send us a comment, email: ontheporch@wchl.com