Why NCI?

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Why NCI?

PUTTING INNOVATION TO WORK FOR ALL OF NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina ranks among the top states for university research, but still trails in turning that research into market-ready technologies. NCInnovation was established as a statewide public-private partnership to change that.

Every year, public universities in our state produce discoveries that could change industries and improve the lives of millions. Too often, these ideas never leave the lab. NCInnovation was created to close that gap by helping researchers move from discovery to development and from campus to marketplace.

Graphic NCI Private Public University Crossover

We provide university researchers the funding, support, and industry connections they need to bring their ideas to life. By investing in applied research and building commercialization pathways, we help transform academic discoveries into products, patents, and companies that will create economic transformation across all 100 counties.

We believe North Carolina should lead the nation in innovation. Our mission is to ensure that ideas created here become businesses that stay here, building stronger communities and lasting economic mobility across every region of the state.

OUR REGIONAL APPROACH

From the coast to the mountains, innovation happens all across North Carolina.

In the coastal plains of eastern North Carolina, universities such as East Carolina, Fayetteville State, UNC Pembroke, UNC Wilmington, and Elizabeth City State are advancing research in health sciences, agriculture, aquaculture, and defense technology.

Nestled in the Smoky Mountains, Appalachian State, Western Carolina, and UNC Asheville are driving growth in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and the outdoor economy.

NCInnovation connects this statewide network through seven university-based hubs across four regions: East, West, Piedmont, and Charlotte. Each hub links university researchers with local businesses, investors, and entrepreneurs. Together, they create a unified innovation ecosystem that fuels innovation, builds companies, and drives regional economic development.

HOW WE WORK

FUNDING APPLIED RESEARCH

We strategically use our endowment earnings to support applied research with strong market potential. Our non-dilutive grants help faculty at all 16 UNC System universities test their ideas, validate their technology, and take the first steps toward commercialization. This support strengthens North Carolina’s innovation pipeline by helping researchers move promising discoveries closer to real products, new companies, and long-term job creation across every region in the state.

BUILDING REGIONAL INNOVATION NETWORKS

Our regional hubs bring together universities, companies, investors, and entrepreneurs across our four regions. Each hub helps support faculty as they turn ideas into viable products and connects them with the expertise and capital needed to succeed.

ACCELERATING COMMERCIALIZATION

We collaborate with private industry and investors to move discoveries from lab to market. These partnerships create new startups, license agreements, and jobs that grow North Carolina’s economy and retain our homegrown talent.

RESPONSIBLE USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS

NCInnovation is supported by a $500 million endowment established by the State of North Carolina. Earnings from this endowment fund our programs, while private contributions cover administrative costs. This ensures that every public dollar directly supports research, commercialization, and job creation. We protect taxpayer funds by investing only in projects with clear potential for impact and by using defined milestones to maintain strong accountability. Our approach preserves long-term value for the state and delivers measurable benefits for North Carolina.

OUR IMPACT

Since launching, NCInnovation has invested more than $37 million in applied research across 14 universities. These projects are advancing technologies in biohealth, agriculture, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.

Through our regional hubs, we have built more than 250 partnerships with businesses, investors, and government agencies. Each partnership helps bring North Carolina research to market by creating high-quality jobs and driving long-term economic growth.

Learn more about our impact

5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NCI

NCI is a regional economic development tool that leverages existing applied research (while prioritizing university applied research) across North Carolina. When a technology enters the commercial market, it creates jobs and generates revenue for the surrounding region. Some of the U.S.’s best innovations were incubated on college campuses and then commercialized by the private sector.

NCI bridges the “valley of death” between federal and private-sector funding. While the private sector plays a role in commercializing university research, it will not invest until a proof-of-concept has demonstrated success at scale. Without a bridge, this “valley of death” consumes university IP the state created and owns — but is not monetizing.

NCI supports university-based research that impacts the real world by funding applied research — think widgets, not white papers. From lithium refining to PFAS filtration to electric grid resiliency, NCI backs research with real-world commercial, strategic, and national security implications. Federal research funding is increasingly prioritizing outcomes — tangible results, not process — especially results that improve American competitiveness. This is NCI’s model.

NCI funds research from endowment income, not annual appropriations. NCI is not “spending” $500 million; it is using reserve funds to deploy interest and investment income from an enduring endowment, which now stands at $515 million after returning $5 million in support to UNC System institutions. $26 million in private commitments fund NCI’s administrative and overhead costs.

NCI is part of — not at the expense of — long-term recovery in western North Carolina. In FY25, 150+ UNC researchers submitted applications totaling $90 million in grant requests. With NCI grants, researchers in western North Carolina have the opportunity to commercialize their work and spur local economic development in their communities.

NCInnovation Statewide Strategic Technology Development Plan

Optimizing North Carolina’s Innovation Ecosystem