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Axios Raleigh

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Raleigh.

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Remote work is shaping the Triangle

Remote work has a huge influence on the Triangle's economy

News

Nugget blew up during the pandemic. Now what?

Nugget's couches became one of the hottest items to own during the pandemic.

Budget proposal could include new limits on suing North Carolina employees

Under a little-known provision quietly slipped into early state budget proposals, North Carolinians who sue state employees could soon lose the ability to present their case to a jury of their peers in state court.

Here's who's running for North Carolina governor in 2024

The election will take place November 5, 2024.

Local limelight: Victor Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim

Raleigh Denim's Warehouse District workroom has made pants for celebrities like Brad Pitt

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Raleigh Denim" data-vars-click-url="https://raleighdenimworkshop.com/" data-vars-content-id="5dc49b25-bd76-4dea-a3fc-8afb76a6b2cd" data-vars-headline="Local limelight: Victor Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://raleighdenimworkshop.com/" target="_blank">Raleigh Denim</a> has become one of the biggest fashion brands to emerge out of North Carolina.<ul><li>Started by the married duo of Victor Lytvinenko and Sarah Yarborough in 2007, the brand gained attention for the denim it handcrafts in the Warehouse District and has made clothing for celebrities <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="such as Brad Pitt and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver." data-vars-click-url="https://www.ft.com/content/ca502333-db78-40ce-ab54-5bb94e98083a" data-vars-content-id="5dc49b25-bd76-4dea-a3fc-8afb76a6b2cd" data-vars-headline="Local limelight: Victor Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ft.com/content/ca502333-db78-40ce-ab54-5bb94e98083a" target="_blank">such as Brad Pitt and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.</a></li></ul>Axios spoke with Lytvinenko — fresh off a trip to New York Fashion Week — for our recurring Local Limelight series. Answers have been edited for Smart Brevity and clarity.

Photo illustration of Victor Lytvinenko in a polaroid frame.

Research Triangle Park's new tower, Via Labs is still looking for tenants

Research Triangle Park's ambitious Hub RTP project is making the park higher

Research Triangle Park&#x27;s next laboratory building is unlike anything it&#x27;s seen before.Driving the news: On Thursday, national lab builder Longfellow Real Estate Partners released renderings and details about its planned building in the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Hub RTP" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2022/05/10/five-developments-changing-the-triangle" data-vars-content-id="42b9ccce-afbe-4d0f-a5e5-e729e78a839b" data-vars-headline="Research Triangle Park&#x27;s new tower, Via Labs is still looking for tenants" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2022/05/10/five-developments-changing-the-triangle" target="_self">Hub RTP</a> complex, an ambitious, $1.5-billion project attempting to give RTP its own downtown core.

An acclaimed Raleigh chef is bringing her Indian food to downtown Durham

Preeti Waas was nominated for a James Beard award after opening Cheeni in 2022

After clinching a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="James Beard nomination" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/01/25/triangles-nominations-for-2023-james-beard-awards-raleigh-durham" data-vars-content-id="132617af-d1f0-4a78-b5db-38c9a39eeb0e" data-vars-headline="An acclaimed Raleigh chef is bringing her Indian food to downtown Durham" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2023/01/25/triangles-nominations-for-2023-james-beard-awards-raleigh-durham" target="_self">James Beard nomination</a> earlier this year, Preeti Waas is bringing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Cheeni Indian Food Emporium" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2022/12/12/best-new-restaurants-raleigh-durham-cary-2022" data-vars-content-id="132617af-d1f0-4a78-b5db-38c9a39eeb0e" data-vars-headline="An acclaimed Raleigh chef is bringing her Indian food to downtown Durham" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/raleigh/2022/12/12/best-new-restaurants-raleigh-durham-cary-2022" target="_self">Cheeni Indian Food Emporium</a> to downtown Durham.Driving the news: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Cheeni" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cheeniraleigh.com/menus/" data-vars-content-id="132617af-d1f0-4a78-b5db-38c9a39eeb0e" data-vars-headline="An acclaimed Raleigh chef is bringing her Indian food to downtown Durham" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cheeniraleigh.com/menus/" target="_blank">Cheeni</a>, which opened in North Raleigh last year, could open as soon as next month in the space that formerly housed <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Jack Tar diner" data-vars-click-url="https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article272637891.html" data-vars-content-id="132617af-d1f0-4a78-b5db-38c9a39eeb0e" data-vars-headline="An acclaimed Raleigh chef is bringing her Indian food to downtown Durham" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/living/food-drink/article272637891.html" target="_blank">Jack Tar diner</a> on Corcoran Street.

Omni could build luxury hotel in downtown Raleigh near convention center

City leaders have highlighted the need for more hotel rooms near the convention center

The city of Raleigh is entering into negotiations with the Omni Hotel Group to build a 500-room, luxury hotel downtown.Why it matters: City leaders have complained for years about a lack of hotel rooms downtown, and how that keeps many organizations from choosing the Raleigh Convention Center for events.

Raleigh AI startup Pryon raises $100 million

Pryon's $100 million investment makes it one of the most well funded startups in the Triangle

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Pryon" data-vars-click-url="https://pryon.com/" data-vars-content-id="7e14b491-72b2-40b6-9c2c-6efb820daa4b" data-vars-headline="Raleigh AI startup Pryon raises $100 million" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pryon.com/" target="_blank">Pryon</a>, a Raleigh-based artificial intelligence startup that makes a virtual assistant for companies, raised $100 million from investors in its most recent round of funding.Driving the news: The investment, announced Tuesday, was led by the US Innovative Technology Fund — an AI-focused fund chaired by the billionaire investor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Thomas Tull" data-vars-click-url="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-20/billionaire-ai-investor-bets-on-defense-tech-after-hollywood-exit?embedded-checkout=true" data-vars-content-id="7e14b491-72b2-40b6-9c2c-6efb820daa4b" data-vars-headline="Raleigh AI startup Pryon raises $100 million" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-20/billionaire-ai-investor-bets-on-defense-tech-after-hollywood-exit?embedded-checkout=true" target="_blank">Thomas Tull</a> that has invested in companies like Anduril and Shield AI.<ul><li>The investment values the company at between than $500 million and $750 million, according to a person familiar with the matter. </li></ul>

Illustration of an briefcase filled with binary code

Remote work plays a hugely influential role in the Triangle, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.Driving the news: More than 26% of workers in the Raleigh metro area worked from home in 2022 — a rate that far exceeds the national average of 15.2%.

Raleigh's apartment construction boom stands out nationally

Raleigh's population growth has put a strain on its housing stock

The Raleigh area is seeing one of the biggest jumps in apartment construction in the country.

Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin

Collagen is used throughout numerous industries. This Raleigh startup wants to make it more sustainable

The idea of lab-grown meat, which includes cultivating real <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="animal meat from cells" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/01/what-is-lab-grown-meat-cell-cultivated" data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/01/what-is-lab-grown-meat-cell-cultivated" target="_self">animal meat from cells</a> rather than slaughter, has captured the attention of investors around the world in recent years.<ul><li>Some of that money is now finding its way to a small lab in West Raleigh that is attempting to create collagen proteins without killing animals.</li></ul>Driving the news: Raleigh-based startup Jellatech <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="raised $3.5 million" data-vars-click-url="https://www.jellatech.com/seed-round-press-release" data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.jellatech.com/seed-round-press-release" target="_blank">raised $3.5 million</a> from investors last month, as part of a seed round to scale up the company&#x27;s capabilities.<ul><li>Founded in 2020 by the Danish entrepreneur Stephanie Michelsen — who moved to Raleigh from the Bay Area to start the company — Jellatech has already cultivated small amounts of bovine and porcine collagen from cells and is now attempting to make cell-grown collagen that is bio-identical to human collagen.</li></ul>Why it matters: Collagen, a protein that strengthens skin, bones and cartilage, is a key ingredient for several large industries.<ul><li>It&#x27;s the building block of gelatin used in food production and medicine, from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="gummy bears" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/shopping-for-candy-and-cell-phones-and-will-you-even-be-able-to-buy-them-at-the-bay-in-ten-years-1.5332657/pig-skin-dead-wasps-and-bee-vomit-what-s-really-in-that-candy-1.5332660#:~:text=Gelatin%20comes%20from%20animal%20skin,bears%20a%20delightfully%20bouncy%20texture." data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cbc.ca/radio/costofliving/shopping-for-candy-and-cell-phones-and-will-you-even-be-able-to-buy-them-at-the-bay-in-ten-years-1.5332657/pig-skin-dead-wasps-and-bee-vomit-what-s-really-in-that-candy-1.5332660#:~:text=Gelatin%20comes%20from%20animal%20skin,bears%20a%20delightfully%20bouncy%20texture." target="_blank">gummy bears</a> to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="pharmaceutical manufacturing and cosmetics" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7578929/" data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7578929/" target="_blank">pharmaceutical manufacturing and cosmetics</a>.</li></ul>The big picture: Michelsen says if her company is successful it could help cut down on the reliance on animal agriculture, which is a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="large generator of greenhouse gas emissions." data-vars-click-url="https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2022/03/15/it-may-be-uncomfortable-we-need-talk-about-it-animal-agriculture-industry-and-zero-waste" data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2022/03/15/it-may-be-uncomfortable-we-need-talk-about-it-animal-agriculture-industry-and-zero-waste" target="_blank">large generator of greenhouse gas emissions.</a><ul><li>Once it&#x27;s able to produce them at a larger scale, Jellatech could sell its complex proteins to other businesses that need them in the production process.</li><li>It would likely target selling to companies working in research and development first rather than food or medicine as it works through the regulatory process.</li></ul>What&#x27;s next: Jellatech plans to use its most recent investment to grow its team of scientists and continue to add larger bioreactors where it grows its cell-cultivated collagen.<ul><li>Michelsen said she wants to add several positions to the seven-person team. They&#x27;re currently looking for larger lab space around Research Triangle Park.</li></ul>Zoom in: Jellatech is not the only Triangle startup making waves in the cell-grown protein space.<ul><li>Durham-based Biomilq is trying to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="create lab-grown breast milk" data-vars-click-url="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/20/biomilq-startup-makes-lab-grown-breast-milk-amid-baby-formula-issues.html" data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/05/20/biomilq-startup-makes-lab-grown-breast-milk-amid-baby-formula-issues.html" target="_blank">create lab-grown breast milk</a> that matches the nutritional value of human breast milk. <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="It raised $21 million" data-vars-click-url="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article255117162.html" data-vars-content-id="bdb63939-cb85-4387-ac56-107c00cd03b1" data-vars-headline="Meet the Raleigh startup trying to create cell-based gelatin" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article255117162.html" target="_blank">It raised $21 million</a> from investors in 2021.</li></ul>

N.C. congressional delegation calls for changes to RTP postal service

Members of North Carolina's congressional delegation are calling on the United States Postal Service to address infrastructure problems in fast-growing Research Triangle Park

Members of North Carolina&#x27;s congressional delegation are calling on the United States Postal Service to address infrastructure problems in fast-growing Research Triangle Park that have been a &quot;significant inconvenience&quot; to residents and businesses.Why it matters: RTP is the largest research park in the United States. It is home to 60,000 employees and nearly 400 companies, including Apple, IBM, Fidelity, Wolfspeed and Cisco, all of which contribute a significant boost to North Carolina&#x27;s economy.

Illustration of a mailbox with fire coming out of it. 

Dominion Energy sells its N.C. gas business to Canadian pipeline company

Dominion Energy has 600,000 gas customers in North Carolina.

Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will soon have a new natural gas provider.Driving the news: Dominion Energy, which has 600,000 gas customers in the state and controls several gas pipelines, said Wednesday it was selling its North Carolina gas business to Canadian energy delivery company Enbridge.

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