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August 7, 2025 21 mins

This week, we bring you an episode from the archives. In this discussion, Mark Flickinger shares insights, trends, and implications for founders and investors from the 2024 State of Startups in the Southeast Report.

We're sharing the episode because we have exciting news: The 2025 State of Startups in the Southeast Report is underway. It's painting a fascinating picture of emerging industries, new investors, and a capital environment that learned some important lessons during the 2020-2022 pandemic. 

Click here to be one of the first to get a copy of the report.

 

In the Episode

Since 2017, the BIP Ventures State of StartupsSM in Southeast report has been a leading trend resource on the region's innovation and investment landscape. In this special episode of the Extraordinary Pursuits podcast, BIP Capital General Partner and COO Mark Flickinger joins us to give a preview of the 2024 report.

Mark’s conversation with colleague and Extraordinary Pursuits host Rachelle Kuramoto covers the evolving capital environment, trends in startup funding, and the unique characteristics of the Southeast's investment landscape compared to major hubs like Silicon Valley and New York. Mark also discusses the impact of AI on the startup ecosystem, the importance of accessing private markets, and future projections for investment trends in 2024 and beyond.

Timestamps:
  • [00:00] Introduction to the State of Startups
  • [01:51] Capital Environment Trends in 2024
  • [05:11] Southeast vs. Major Innovation Hubs
  • [07:54] Investor Trends in the Southeast
  • [11:11] Accessing Private Markets
  • [14:00] Future Projections for 2024 and Beyond
  • [16:48] Impact of AI on Investment Trends
  • [19:07] Emerging Investment Trends for 2024
Points of Wisdom:
  • "Startup funding is beginning to find balance."
  • "We're starting to see competition for deals."
  • "The Southeast has a very different approach to investing."
About Mark Flickinger:

Mark Flickinger joined BIP Ventures in 2015. In his role as General Partner and Chief Operating Officer, Mark oversees fundraising, investor relations, marketing/branding, talent acquisition, and acceleration. Before joining the firm, Mark held leadership roles for 4th Strand, a product performance consulting firm (acquired by Intertek in 2012). He oversaw project management, product development, HR/recruiting, operations, and sales. Mark's experience also includes Medarex, a biotech startup developing therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases, as well as the oral care division of consumer products company Church & Dwight.

Mark has been at the helm of the State of Startups(SM) in the Southeast report since 2017. LinkedIn

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