The Audacity to Build

When Quinci King (Duke ’20) walks into the Bullpen at Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E), it feels like a reunion. There is laughter, hugs, and easy conversation. “This was my home away from home,” he says with a smile as he takes his seat. 

That sense of belonging has guided him ever since, through building a nonprofit from the ground up, leading in the tech industry, and returning to mentor the next generation of Duke innovators. 

The Spark That Changed Everything 

As an undergraduate, Quinci was searching for a meaningful way to make a difference. He had always been curious about how people create change and how small ideas can grow into movements that transform communities. Through Duke I&E, he came to see that entrepreneurship was about much more than business. It was about finding real purpose in solving problems that matter, listening to people’s stories, understanding what they need, and building with them to create lasting change. 

It all started with a design workshop in Quinci’s Social Innovation class at Duke I&E. “I partnered with the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, Duke I&E, and Durham’s Hillside High School,” he recalls. “To pilot our concept, high school students worked in teams, learned human-centered design, coding, and lean startup methods, before ultimately presenting their social ventures at a public showcase in the Bullpen.”  

The success of that project, paired with the momentum of his work in Duke Student Government on the Durham and Regional Affairs committee, sparked the creation of Audacity Labs, Quinci’s first real test of how innovation could empower others. With early funding from Duke I&E’s Design to Impact grant and operational support from TechStars, Audacity Labs developed programs that helped high school students across Durham identify challenges in their communities and design creative, practical solutions. 

“That was the beginning of everything,” he says. “We were able to pay our mentors, support our students, and build something the community could see itself in.” 

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Building a Community of Innovators 

Audacity Labs later merged with Helius Foundation to become Echo, a thriving innovation hub in downtown Durham for entrepreneurs at every stage of maturity. Since then, Echo has raised roughly $1.5 million to serve both youth and adults, who want to explore entrepreneurship and social impact. 

Echo now operates a shared innovation space in downtown Durham with more than 20 partner organizations, fostering collaboration and mentorship across the community. “And we still have a chapter on campus that’s employing a lot of Duke students through the work-study program,” Quinci says. “Several of our high school students, from Audacity Labs and now Echo, have actually gone on to study at Duke.”  

Echo’s philosophy is simple: innovation should be accessible to everyone. Its “entrepreneurs building entrepreneurs” model empowers young people to lead, design, and mentor one another. Many alumni return as coaches, creating a cycle of learning and leadership that continues to expand across Durham. 

At the heart of it all is empathy. “You need to understand what people truly need, not just what you assume they need,” Quinci says, “That’s where real impact begins.” 

Lessons That Last 

Quinci’s early experiences at Duke taught him that building something meaningful takes both courage and community. His time in the Melissa & Doug Entrepreneurs program proved especially pivotal. “It was incredibly helpful for understanding how other founders were building their ventures,” he says. “It gave me community support and ideas that we could bring back into our nonprofit programming.” 

Those experiences also taught him resilience, how to learn from failure and use it as a foundation for growth. “Not everything worked the first time,” he admits. “But every challenge taught us something about what our community needed and how to serve them better.” 

Purpose in Action 

The lessons Quinci learned through Echo and Audacity Labs continue to guide how he leads and lives today. Echo’s influence continues to ripple through the region, connecting students, educators, and professionals in a shared commitment to creativity and inclusion.  

Those same values—curiosity, empathy, and disciplined action—now define his work on a global scale. After graduation, Quinci joined McKinsey & Company and later BetterUp, a fast-growing AI coaching and mental wellness startup, where he supported strategic leadership initiatives within business operations and saw how purpose and innovation intersect in the workplace. 

Today, Quinci serves as Director and Chief of Staff in Product Management at Integral Ad Science, where he helps guide global teams who are shaping how brands use technology responsibly and transparently. 

“Every day brings change,” he says. “Technology evolves constantly. You have to stay curious, stay adaptable, and keep learning.” 

For Quinci, leadership is purpose in action—an extension of the same mindset that shaped his journey at Duke: stay curious, understand people’s “why,” and build with intention. 

Giving Back to the Next Generation 

Even as his career grows, Quinci remains deeply connected to Duke. He regularly engages with Duke I&E students as a guest speaker and advisor through the Duke Experts in Entrepreneurship program, sharing hard-earned lessons with students and alumni who are just beginning to explore their own ideas.  

“I tell them to approach everything with curiosity,” he says. “Be genuinely interested in people. That’s how you build authentic networks and lasting partnerships. Just last year, a Duke friend from my freshman year connected me with other alumni to film a Saucony Holiday Campaign  Those types of relationships and opportunities perfectly capture the essence of Duke’s enduring impact on my life.” 

For Quinci, serving as an Expert is not just about advice; it’s about empowering others to take action, the same way Duke I&E and the broader alumni community once empowered him. 

Reflecting on the many influences that shaped him, Quinci notes, “If it wasn’t for God, my family, I&E professors, and local alumni, who provided guidance and support in every possible way, I simply would not be where I am.”  

A Home That Built a Legacy 

In recalling his time at Duke, Quinci’s voice softens. “Outside of my major, I spent all of my time in I&E, whether that was the networking events or just hanging out with the professors themselves,” he says. “The professors were much more collaborative. It felt like, ‘How do I build with you and let my experiences guide you’? That has had a much more enduring impact than almost anything else from my Duke experience.” 

That spirit of collaboration and belief in the power of building with people has become Quinci’s life’s work.  

“Duke I&E taught me to build with community,” Quinci says. “That lesson has shaped everything I’ve done since.”  

Across his work with Echo, his leadership in tech, and his mentorship through Duke I&E, Quinci King proves that the most powerful innovations begin with empathy, curiosity, and the courage to act. 

For Durham’s young dreamers and for the Duke community that helped shape him, his story is still unfolding, and its impact continues to echo.