Voting Underway in Statewide Competition featuring CFCC Small Business Center Entrepreneurs
Wilmington, NC (September 1, 2026) – Voting is now officially open for North Carolina’s inaugural Small Business Center Network Startup Showdown, featuring local entrepreneurs Anna Barrett and Kevin Roberts. The couple is representing Cape Fear Community College’s Small Business Center in the statewide competition.
Barrett and Roberts are competing with 16 other finalists for more than $60,000 in startup funding, including a $30,000 top prize. The husband-and-wife team developed Cakebelle, a patent-pending cake-serving tool designed for customizable slice sizes and reduced food waste. The couple developed their business with guidance from CFCC Small Business Center Director Jerry Coleman.
From Sept. 1 through Sept. 15, community members can support Cakebelle by casting votes online, which directly impact the final scoring alongside a panel of expert judges.
How to Vote:
- Visit the North Carolina Small Business Center Network’s YouTube channel .
- Watch the pitch video for Cakebelle .
- Click “Like” on the video. Each like counts as an official vote.
Made possible through a funding partnership with the Wells Fargo Foundation, the Startup Showdown is a collaborative effort of the North Carolina Community College System, the Small Business Center Network and the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation. The program was created to identify high-potential entrepreneurs, provide high-quality business education and connect founders with the mentorship, resources and visibility needed to transform innovative ideas into successful businesses.
Winners will be announced at an awards reception in Raleigh on Sept. 17.
To learn more about CFCC’s Small Business Center and its services, visit https://cfcc.edu/small-business-center/
