$8.6 billion is moving through Cape Fear. The Cape Fear Data Initiative is how the region sees it, shapes it, and shares in it — together.
The Cape Fear Data Initiative exists because our region is data-rich and intelligence-poor: more than $8.6 billion in investment is actively shaping New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties, and no single shared system connects it to the people, businesses, and institutions it's meant to benefit. Our purpose is to build that shared system — turning fragmented information about regional investment into local economic intelligence that helps residents understand what's happening around them, helps small businesses find their place in it, and helps institutions make better, more coordinated decisions about the communities they serve.
The $8.6B figure represents known, active investment tracked across 27 sourced institutions in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. It is not an audited regional GDP total and not Newkirklytics revenue.
Community impact, live
Where the OS is running today
Home of the first public NEX Connect activation (May 2026) and the procurement + capital readiness pilots with city, county, and anchor partners.
County-wide NEI mapping across Greensboro and High Point, with a university research partnership contributing tract-level community data.
Outcomes, not promises
Early proof from the first year of deployments — each one a pattern other communities can repeat.
A regional business network runs its entire operation on the platform — membership, events, referrals, sponsorships, and payments — as the first NEX Connect Partner.
The first public activation event brought entrepreneurs, institutions, and lenders into one room and onto one map, launching the region's readiness pilots.
University partners in the US and Australia contribute community data and research frameworks that strengthen the NEI's foundations.