Mark Flickinger, BIP Ventures: State of Startups in the SE 2025: How does NC and the Triangle Stack UP?
BIP Ventures’ Mark Flickinger joins Tweener Talks: Shares his venture background story and we do a deep dive into their just released 2025 State of Startups in the South East
Who is Mark Flickinger?
Mark Flickinger is the COO and General Partner at BIP Ventures, one of the Southeast’s most active venture firms. Based in Atlanta, Mark brings a rare dual perspective, an operator who scaled startups before joining the investing side. Since 2015, he’s helped BIP expand from an Atlanta-centric firm into a major player across the Southeast and Midwest.
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And special thanks to our friends at Walk West for partnering with us to produce this pod!
How I know Mark:
I first connected with Greg during his transition into the Walk West CEO role, right after the agency acquired podcast network Earfluence. We’ve shared conversations on the future of content, AI’s disruption of search, and strategies for founders navigating the changing go-to-market landscape.
Every year, BIP Ventures releases its State of Startups in the Southeast report, arguably the most comprehensive snapshot of our region’s innovation economy. In this episode, I sit down with Mark to break down the 2025 findings, from AI and valuations to where the capital is really flowing.
Listen/Watch Our Interview:
This year’s data tells a powerful story: the Southeast isn’t chasing the coasts, it’s building its own kind of ecosystem. We discuss:
How the State of Startups in the Southeast report came to be, and why it’s become a key annual benchmark for founders and investors.
The Southeast’s steady growth amid national volatility, and what that says about the region’s resilience.
Why North Carolina now ranks #2 for capital invested, with a healthy mix of early, mid, and late-stage deals.
The rise of AI-driven startups, not in infrastructure, but in real applied use cases driving revenue.
Which investors and funds are most active across the region, from Triangle Tweener Fund to Hatteras, IdeaFund, and CoFounders Capital.
How Atlanta continues to anchor Georgia’s innovation scene, with momentum in cybersecurity, fintech, and healthcare tech.
Why balanced growth across industries is dampening volatility and attracting new waves of talent and capital.
The Southeast’s startup story isn’t one of catching up, it’s one of growing up. Dive into the full conversation for a data-packed look at where our ecosystem stands today, and where it’s headed next.
How to watch:
Visit Tweener Talks to listen for all audio podcast players
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📌 What’s Next
Stay tuned for more founder journeys from across the Triangle. Subscribe for startup news, and we’ll catch you next week!