NCInnovation Awards Inaugural Pipeline Grants to Four UNC Asheville Faculty Projects
By Michelle Fiscus, Senior VP & Chief Communications Officer
Durham, NC - 3/1/2026
Research-Triangle Park, N.C. — NCInnovation today announced the first faculty awardees of the NCInnovation Pipeline Grant Program at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, marking a milestone for the UNC System’s newest commercialization pathway.
Through UNC Asheville’s inaugural Pipeline cohort, four faculty-led projects have been awarded $10,000 each, supporting early development of innovative ideas with strong potential for intellectual property creation and future commercialization. The funded projects span four distinct academic departments — Music, Business, New Media, and Mathematics — underscoring the university’s interdisciplinary approach to innovation and entrepreneurship.
“We are deeply grateful to NCInnovation for recognizing the transformative work happening at UNC Asheville and for helping us turn our faculty's ingenuity into engines of regional growth,” said Dr. Kimberly van Noort, Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “These four faculty-led projects each reflect our university's commitment to turning bold ideas into practical tools that serve people and strengthen our economy. From virtual reality software that trains the next generation of ethical, skilled communicators in the workplace, to an AI-powered math learning platform, a location-based discovery app that deepens community engagement with our cultural and natural heritage, and fabrication technology that expands opportunity for artists and makers — these innovations have the potential to create jobs, attract investment, and position western North Carolina as a hub for creative and technological entrepreneurship.”
The NCInnovation Pipeline Program is designed to help faculty advance promising ideas to proof of concept by pairing early funding with entrepreneurial education and intellectual property support. Faculty who complete the Pipeline Program are positioned to pursue future NCInnovation funding opportunities through the open Request for Proposals process.
“The NCI Pipeline Program supports faculty as they move innovative ideas toward proof of concept in the development of intellectual property,” said Sally Wasileski, Dean of Natural and Human Sciences at UNC Asheville. “The faculty awarded Pipeline funding come from a wide range of fields in STEM, business, and the arts, exemplifying how innovation and entrepreneurship are interwoven across the university. I’m excited to see how their ideas develop.”
Funded UNC Asheville Pipeline Projects:
Tough Talks Virtual Reality Simulation Project
Principal Investigator: Dr. Brad A. Bilsky, Assistant Professor of Accounting
Collaborator: Dr. Ramin Vandaie, Assistant Professor of Business Strategy
Department: Business
The Tough Talks project will develop an immersive virtual reality simulation for the Meta Quest platform that places users in realistic workplace scenarios involving difficult conversations and ethical dilemmas. The software will provide guided coaching and feedback, allowing users to practice and improve interpersonal communication skills in a true-to-life virtual environment.
MathChat AI
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mark McClure, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics
Department: Mathematics and Statistics
MathChat AI will create an online discussion forum where students and educators can engage in mathematical dialogue. AI assistants will support clearer mathematical writing and provide immediate feedback aligned with instructor-defined expectations, with future expansion planned for additional subject areas.
Discovery Stroll
Principal Investigator: Dr. Melodie G. Galloway, Professor of Music
Collaborator: Dr. Kevin Sanft, Associate Professor of Computer Science
Department: Music
Discovery Stroll is an interactive, location-based multimedia platform that delivers historical, scientific, and cultural information through immersive audio and visual experiences. Using computer vision and voice-activated tools, the app allows users to explore their surroundings and access relevant content in real time.
A Fixturing Jig for Safe and Efficient Waterjet Cutting of Fragile and Flexible High-Value Materials
Principal Investigator: Dr. Mark Hursty, Associate Professor of New Media
Department: New Media
This project will develop a low-cost, consumable fixturing jig system that enables precise waterjet cutting of delicate and flexible high-value materials. Designed with artists and fabricators in mind, the system will provide a scalable way to harness the precision of waterjet cutting while protecting and transporting the materials being cut.
UNC Asheville was the first institution in the UNC System to launch the NCInnovation Pipeline Program and award funding, providing a model for how universities can rapidly activate innovation pathways for faculty across diverse disciplines.
About NCInnovation: NCInnovation, Inc. is a Research Triangle Park, NC-based 501(c)(3) public-private partnership designed to accelerate commercialized innovation from North Carolina’s research universities. Backed by more than $25 million in private philanthropic commitments, NCInnovation uses the interest and income from a $500 million State-funded endowment to provide non-dilutive grant funding, mentors, and support services so that North Carolina university proofs-of-concept return value to the regional communities that created them. Learn more at NCInnovation.org.