Today is the seventh class of your current eight class set. We will start class with a casual conversation, complete our reading discussion, and finish with a translation phrase. Today’s material is about the North Carolina’s tech triangle. Please note the three key points.

• Academic-Driven Talent: The region leverages a dense concentration of top universities—including UNC Chapel Hill, Duke University, and NC State—to provide a steady stream of highly skilled talent for the booming tech and biotech sectors.

• Pro-Business Environment: North Carolina is consistently ranked as a top state for business due to its low corporate income taxes (currently 2.5% and moving toward zero) and a supportive ecosystem that encourages startups and corporate investment .

• Infrastructure and Growth Challenges: While the region offers a lower cost of living compared to major tech hubs like San Francisco or Boston, it faces significant growing pains, specifically in public transportation and rising housing costs that have accelerated alongside the area's economic success .