Spring 2026 NC IDEA SEED Grant Recipients Selected from Diverse Applicant Pool
DURHAM, NC – May 14, 2026 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has awarded a total of $350,000 in grants to seven North Carolina startups. Since its inception in 2006, the NC IDEA SEED grant program has awarded over $11M in non-dilutive grants to 238 innovative companies across the state, with these most recent awards being the 41st cycle of the program.
“This cohort of SEED grantees is a reflection of the state’s diverse industry sectors and high-potential technology being commercialized at our universities,” said Thom Ruhe, CEO and President of NC IDEA. “In coordination with our ecosystem partners, we look forward to supporting the journey of these incredible founders. This is how efficient ecosystems are creating outsized returns and serve as a national model for economic development,” Ruhe added.
The following seven Spring 2026 NC IDEA SEED grant recipients were chosen after a three-month competitive application and selection process that drew 185 applications from across the state:
Joyntly – Charlotte, NC
Scalable, affordable software where employers can deliver tailored action-based development to all managers between the front-line and the C-suite – ensuring every leader has the tools to thrive.
Nuream– Wilmington, NC
Novel, patent-pending Fabric-as-a-Sensor platform transforming nightly sleep into AI-driven insights, addressing today’s sleep epidemic, flagging tomorrow’s neurological risk, and transformative securitization to the most sensitive human biomarker data.
On Holiday – Winston-Salem, NC
Freshest ready-to-drink wine spritz on the market using premium ingredients, sustainable single-serve packaging, and a proprietary production process to deliver a completely differentiated product experience.
Phaseshift– Wake Forest, NC
Builds the data and agentic AI foundation for energy storage and other regulated infrastructure deploying at the edge to normalize messy, site-specific data and deliver it through a secure, fully managed platform.
Rooted-in-tech– Apex, NC
Revolutionizing plant propagation by delivering high-quality, disease-free plants to growers, integrating technology, and customized environmental recipes to reduce farming risks, enhance plant quality, lower costs, and boost yields.
Ver Coaching– Durham, NC
Transforming reaction time, focus, and visual processing speed with cutting-edge VR technology unlocking peak performance with vision training.
VibraPower– Raleigh, NC
Enables battery-free wireless sensing in industrial environments by converting machine vibration into reliable electrical power, minimizing or eliminating batteries and wiring for condition-monitoring systems.
NC IDEA SEED offers early stage companies the critical funding they need to scale faster. The $50,000 grants are awarded to innovative startups with a proven concept, even if they are not yet profitable. The funds, along with mentorship and guidance, push companies forward and reduce the risk associated with these nascent firms.
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.
