EIRS to Support Partnership with NCInnovation Focused On Accelerating Commercialized Innovation from NC Universities
DURHAM, NC – December 12, 2024 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has added four Regional Entrepreneurs In Residence (EIR) to its team to support the organization’s partnership with NCInnovation.
This past August, NC IDEA announced its partnership with NCInnovation. The EIRs represent a breadth of entrepreneurial and leadership expertise which will advance the partnership’s efforts to accelerate commercialized innovation from North Carolina’s universities.
“The partnership with NCInnovation combines our extensive network in North Carolina’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with NCInnovation’s pipeline of commercialized innovation opportunities; which in turn will yield great outcomes for our state,” said Barry Ryan, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at NC IDEA. “We are excited to add such accomplished talent and expertise to our team to further this vital work,” Ryan added.
Michelle Bolas, Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Vice President of NCInnovation, said, “NCInnovation helps North Carolina’s world-class university research develop to the point it can attract private investment. Our research grants are part of that work, but mentoring researchers who may be more familiar in a laboratory than a boardroom is just as important. Our partnership with NC IDEA delivers that business-minded mentorship.”
The four Regional Entrepreneurs In Residence include:
Christopher Kelly (East Regional EIR) is a senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in general management, corporate development, finance, and global operations. He has started several companies and been recruited by startup boards to drive growth efforts. Christopher is a veteran of more than 70 strategic transactions and acquisitions across four continents in industries as diverse as drug discovery, digital therapeutics, diagnostics, composite materials, agtech and medical devices.
Paula Pingel, MS, MBA (Charlotte Regional EIR) leverages three decades of global expertise in business development, strategic planning, commercialization, marketing, and operations. She excels in launching products, services, and startups while crafting innovative strategies for both for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Her diverse experience spans industries such as healthcare, energy, digital imaging, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products across regions including the U.S., Canada, Japan, China, the UK, Southern Ireland, and South America.
Frank Pollock (Piedmont Regional EIR) has worked at the intersection of marketing, innovation, and strategy for more than 25 years. In addition to serving as the Piedmont Regional EIR for NC IDEA, he is the Chief Marketing Officer/Co-Founder at Home Lending Pal and Chief Marketing Officer at BlueRecruit. Frank was part of the initial application review team for NCInnovation and has participated in the NC IDEA grant review process for 8 years.
Kym Verhovshek (West Regional EIR) is dedicated to growth and scalability across for-profit and nonprofit sectors, from startups to publicly traded companies. With expertise in building and leading high-performance teams, Kym leverages her passion for cultivating strategic partnerships to empower organizations to create innovative, sustainable solutions. Her global health and wellness industry work includes enhancing brand presence for Nordic Naturals and Genova Diagnostics, where she drove operational efficiency through localized marketing, refined logistics, and a commitment to consultative customer service.
Each EIR will work closely with their corresponding NCInnovation Regional Innovation Network Director to source projects, coach faculty on their applications, foster connections with industry, and facilitate training programs. Additionally, NC IDEA will support a network of Project EIRs, recruited on a project-by-project basis to work directly with NCInnovation’s grant-funded faculty teams at Appalachian State University, East Carolina University, N.C. A&T State University, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, and Western Carolina University.
About NC IDEA Foundation
NC IDEA is an independent private foundation committed to equitably empowering North Carolinians to achieve their entrepreneurial potential. Through our powerful combination of competitive grants and programs and a network of strategic partners, we help entrepreneurs when they need it most. NC IDEA’s resources are highly competitive, enabling the Foundation to support North Carolina’s most ambitious entrepreneurs. We believe entrepreneurs transform communities and view our work as a catalyst for positive change. Learn more at www.ncidea.org.
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.
