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    Advancing Entrepreneurship

    EQUITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT​

    NC IDEA empowers North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential by offering support when and where they need it most.
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    Economic Impact

    A CATALYST FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

    NC IDEA is committed to providing opportunity for all entrepreneurs which is vital to North Carolina's economic prosperity.
  • Home

    Celebrating Entrepreneurship

    SUPPORTING STATEWIDE ACTIVITIES

    Through partnering and collaborating with others, NC IDEA can help more high potential entrepreneurial endeavors take flight.
  • Home

    Advancing
    Entrepreneurship

    EQUITABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT​

    NC IDEA empowers North Carolinians
    to achieve their entrepreneurial potential
    by offering support when
    and where they need it most.
  • Home

    Economic
    Impact

    A CATALYST FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

    NC IDEA is committed to
    providing opportunity for all entrepreneurs
    which is vital to North Carolina's
    economic prosperity.
  • Home

    Celebrating
    Entrepreneurship

    SUPPORTING STATEWIDE ACTIVITIES

    Through partnering and collaborating
    with others, NC IDEA can help more
    high potential entrepreneurial endeavors take flight.

OUR HISTORY

Follow our progression to empower North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential.

>> FOLLOW OUR JOURNEY

ENGAGING COMMUNITIES

NC IDEA ENGAGE supports individuals and organizations to facilitate activity that brings like-minded folks together.

>> APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDING

100,000 MINDSETS

An ambitious goal to embolden the power of entrepreneurial thinking through the deployment of Ice House.

>> JOIN US IN OUR AMBITION

NC IDEA Awards Total of $450,000 to Nine North Carolina Startups

READ FULL ANNOUNCEMENT
NC IDEA Footprint
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Our work is based on a simple but powerful goal; foster economic development in North Carolina. Since 2006, NC IDEA has awarded grants to over 265 companies and hundreds of communities and partners from across the state with more than $14.7M+ in funding and tens of thousands of support programming hours.

Statewide Distribution of Grants by Region

FOCUS ON DIVERSITY

NC BLACK
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
COUNCIL

Elevating Black Entrepreneurship in North Carolina

The North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council (NC BEC) leads NC IDEA in its programmatic and grant making ambitions to address the challenges of Black entrepreneurship in North Carolina. The Council works closely with the Foundation to identify, recommend and support partners, grant recipients and programs to serve the entrepreneurial aspirations and economic potential of North Carolina’s Black community.

LEARN MORE

FOCUS ON DIVERSITY

NC BLACK
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
COUNCIL

Elevating Black Entrepreneurship in North Carolina

The North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council (NC BEC) leads NC IDEA in its programmatic and grant making ambitions to address the challenges of Black entrepreneurship in North Carolina. The Council works closely with the Foundation to identify, recommend and support partners, grant recipients and programs to serve the entrepreneurial aspirations and economic potential of North Carolina’s Black community.

LEARN MORE

FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Helping Entrepreneurs When They Need It Most

PROGRAMS

Our LABS program helps entrepreneurs take their first steps toward building a successful company through a guided approach to customer discovery.

GRANTS

Our MICRO and SEED grants are typically the initial source of outside capital for young, growth-oriented companies looking to advance their business.

RESOURCES

Beyond funding, we look to provide value to all entrepreneurs by sharing resources needed to build, launch and scale a successful business.

FOR THE ECOSYSTEM

Strengthening Economic Opportunity for All Communities

GRANTS

Our ENGAGE and ECOSYSTEM grants support statewide entrepreneurial activity and strengthen the infrastructure for North Carolina’s entrepreneurs.

PARTNERS

By working together with our network of statewide partners, we achieve our shared goals of advancing entrepreneurship in the state of North Carolina.

EVENTS

Entrepreneurship advocates come together to collaborate and address what is needed to support all entrepreneurs, creating a shared vision of making North Carolina the best place to start and grow a business.

CASE STUDIES
Sani

SANI

Devil's Foot

DEVIL'S FOOT

Glean Case Study

GLEAN

Sandbar Oysters

SANDBAR OYSTER

$ 0 M+
GRANTS AWARDED
$ 0 M+
FUNDING RAISED BY GRANTEES
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COMPANIES SERVED
0 +
JOBS CREATED
“Since winning the NC IDEA grant, our profile in the community statewide has risen and we are getting more opportunities to engage and grow our company.”
Calvin Williams Freeman Capital, SEED Grant Recipient
Calvin Williams
“The money is good, but the people and network behind NC IDEA are awesome. We learned a ton going through the application and pitch process and are continuing to leverage the resources available after the grant award. I highly recommend applying, even if just to get free and high quality feedback about your company.”
Jason MooreElite HRV, SEED Grant Recipient
Jason Moore
"NC IDEA walks the talk. They didn't just write RIoT a check, but spent considerable time looking for ways to truly collaborate. That attitude - and their time and effort working with us and startups we support - continues to this day, well past the grant period.”
Tom SnyderRIoT, ECOSYSTEM Grant Recipient
Tom Snyder
“Research Triangle Foundation’s work has always been about more than the Park. Our mission, which has been the same since RTP’s founding in 1959, tasks us with creating economic impact for all North Carolinians. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to do so through NC IDEA’s ECOSYSTEM grant program.”
Linda HallResearch Triangle Foundation, Equitable NC Partner
Linda Hall
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“Since winning the NC IDEA grant, our profile in the community statewide has risen and we are getting more opportunities to engage and grow our company.”
Calvin Williams Freeman Capital, SEED Grant Recipient
Calvin Williams
“The money is good, but the people and network behind NC IDEA are awesome. We learned a ton going through the application and pitch process and are continuing to leverage the resources available after the grant award. I highly recommend applying, even if just to get free and high quality feedback about your company.”
Jason MooreElite HRV, SEED Grant Recipient
Jason Moore
"NC IDEA walks the talk. They didn't just write RIoT a check, but spent considerable time looking for ways to truly collaborate. That attitude - and their time and effort working with us and startups we support - continues to this day, well past the grant period.”
Tom SnyderRIoT, ECOSYSTEM Grant Recipient
Tom Snyder
“Research Triangle Foundation’s work has always been about more than the Park. Our mission, which has been the same since RTP’s founding in 1959, tasks us with creating economic impact for all North Carolinians. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to do so through NC IDEA’s ECOSYSTEM grant program.”
Linda HallResearch Triangle Foundation, Equitable NC Partner
Linda Hall
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