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Edition 26 · Sep 28–Oct 4, 2026 · Signal Log

Relay raises $36 million with customer International Paper leading

September 28–October 4: Relay reports new funding led by one of its customers, while GrepBeat publishes its Startups to Watch roster. This draft was assembled October 8 from the week's dated announcements; it is selected coverage, rather than a complete account of every local event.

2

signals

$36M

capital

1 round

0

new companies

discovered

Standout of the week

Relay

Relay

Raleigh communications and operational tools for frontline teams

$36 million in new funding, led by a customer.

International Paper led Relay's September 30 financing and is also a customer. The release names clients of Cerity Partners, Harmonic Growth Partners and Thayer Investment Partners as new investors, with G2 Venture Partners and Wind River Ventures increasing their investments. Relay reports more than $90 million raised in total. The company gives no priced-round label, so this edition does not infer a Series C. Cerity's unnamed clients are preserved as described; they are not attributed to Cerity itself as an investing firm.

Relay via PR Newswire·Sep 30

Deep dives

Capital

1 round

One disclosed financing contributes $36 million. Relay's cumulative lower-bound total is not added to this week's capital.

Infrastructure

Recognition

GrepBeat publishes its 2026 Startups to Watch roster

The September 28 recap names 11 statewide honorees after the September 24 Durham event. GrepBeat identifies eight with Triangle headquarters: Phaseshift, ExpertTheory, CivicReach, Warrant, Rozie Synopsis, Carolina Instruments, Roboro and Clinware. The other three are Beam Dynamics, HiveTracks and Stemz. This is one recognition event; the source's regional labels do not establish directory eligibility or new financing.

Sep 28GrepBeat
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