NCInnovation Expands Statewide 
Portfolio to $37 Million 
Across 47 Projects

Click here to read more

North Carolina Reaffirms Its Commitment to Innovation-Driven Economic Development

Link to Press Release

Putting Innovation to Work 
for All of North Carolina
  • Home

Every idea we support, every partnership we build, and every investment we make has one purpose: to turn North Carolina’s research strength into real economic opportunity. NCInnovation is creating a future where innovation works for everyone.

WHY NCI

NCInnovation accelerates commercialization in North Carolina by backing university researchers and transforming breakthroughs into technologies, startups, and economic progress. We provide the funding, expertise, and industry connections that move university discoveries into the marketplace and fuel growth across all 100 counties.

Learn More

3 PILLARS

NCI advances university research from discovery to market through a three-pillar commercialization framework.

 

Funding & Support

OUR IMPACT

Strong innovation ecosystems drive productivity, economic growth, and meaningful public benefit across North Carolina.

 

Our Impact

OUR MODEL

Four regional innovation networks connect universities, industry, and partners to support commercialization statewide.

 

Our Model

47

GRANTS AWARDED

Forty-seven NCI statewide innovation grants have been awarded to advance research with strong commercialization potential.

$37M

TOTAL GRANT FUNDING AWARDED

NCI has awarded $37,856,489 in statewide innovation grants to accelerate applied research across North Carolina.

14

UNC SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS FUNDED

Fourteen UNC system institutions have received NCI grant funding to help move research toward real-world impact.

251

TOTAL GRANT APPLICANTS

251 applicants have submitted proposals for NCI grants, reflecting strong statewide interest in commercialization support.

$78M

TOTAL FUNDING REQUESTED

Applicants requested $78,004,743.61 in total funding, demonstrating high demand for commercialization-focused research investment.

NEWS & MEDIA

  • Helping Power and Protect the Next Generation of AI Data Centers in North Carolina

    As data centers shift to 800-volt direct current systems to support AI workloads, existing protection technology can't keep up. UNC Charlotte's Dr. Tiefu Zhao is developing a solid-state system that detects and interrupts electrical faults approximately 1,000 times faster than conventional circuit breakers.

  • VIDEO: Innovation May Protect Pollinators Helping Food Supply

    Varroa mites are one of the greatest threats to honeybee colonies worldwide. ECU's Dr. Lok Pokhrel is developing Varr-Gate, a device that delivers targeted mite treatment as bees naturally enter and exit the hive — protecting pollinators without disrupting colony behavior.

  • NCInnovation Is Helping Wilmington Unlock the Science of Sleep

    Researchers at UNCW and Wilmington startup Nuream are developing a pillowcase embedded with conductive fabric that captures clinical-quality brain and heart signals during natural sleep. Behind it is an AI engine designed to identify patterns that could reveal early signs of neurological disease.

Read more