Semi-Finalists Seeking $50,000 Each in NC IDEA’s 26th SEED Grant Cycle
DURHAM, NC – October 1, 2018 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic advancement in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has selected 24 semi-finalists from across the state in its 26th SEED grant cycle. These semi-finalists were chosen from 158 competitive applications.
“We are pleased by the diversified entrepreneur population reflected both demographically and geographically in the group of semi-finalists moving forward,” said Thom Ruhe, President and CEO of NC IDEA. “We had a difficult task in narrowing down the competitive field of applicants, but look forward to learning more about the group moving forward in the next phase of the process.”
The 24 Fall 2018 NC IDEA SEED Semi-Finalists include:
Aeva Labs – Raleigh, NC
Aphelion – Wake Forest, NC
Bear Fiber, Inc. – Winston-Salem, NC
Companah – Fuquay-Varina, NC
Courtroom5 – Durham, NC
Don’t Waste Durham / GreenToGo – Durham, NC
ExLattice, Inc – Raleigh, NC
fayvor holdings llc – Durham, NC
Fixional – Chapel Hill, NC
FixMob, Inc. – Huntersville, NC
iCruits – Wilmington, NC
Intuality, Inc. – Winston-Salem, NC
Kanari Technologies – Charlotte, NC
LivWell Nutrition – Winston-Salem, NC
Multi3D LLC – Cary, NC
OmniSono, Inc. – Cary, NC
Phinite – Raleigh, NC
Proposa – Raleigh, NC
Protopia – Cary, NC
QuoteQuest – Wilmington, NC
Renaissance Fiber LLC – Wilmington, NC
Secoya Seed Company – Woodfin, NC
Vizla – Charlotte, NC
Wotter, LLC – Morrisville, NC
The semi-finalists have been invited to submit a full proposal with greater details by mid-October. Finalists will then be selected to present before a review panel comprised of experienced investors, industry experts and entrepreneurs. Grant recipients will be announced in mid-November. The $50,000 grants are intended to support business activities that validate target markets, reduce risk associated with early stage companies and help companies get to the point of suitability for growth; whether through investment or revenue.
About NC IDEA FOUNDATION
NC IDEA is an independent private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic advancement in North Carolina. Today, the organization fulfills this mission through a strategic combination of competitive grants and programs. NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM funds organizations across the state that execute creative programs to support entrepreneurs. Similarly, NC IDEA ENGAGE is a community-focused grant program supporting individuals and organizations that facilitate entrepreneurship activity. Over the last decade, the NC IDEA SEED program has awarded over $5.5 million in non-dilutive grants to 131 growth-oriented companies across the state, and most recently awarded nearly $150,000 in 15 micro-grants through a pilot program. Since 2011, over 150 companies have participated in NC IDEA LABS, formerly Groundwork Labs, to guide founders developing an idea or product. NC IDEA SOAR, a program founded in 2012, supports female entrepreneurs leading scalable businesses in raising capital through mentorship, strategic advice and connections. NC IDEA LEAD, the Foundation’s newest program, provides leadership training for founders of high-growth companies. Learn more at ncidea.org.
