DURHAM – Economic development foundation NC IDEA is providing a boost to 13 organizations across North Carolina with some $1.5 million in new grants.
Grant recipients include Bunker Labs RDU, LaunchBio in Durham and Innovate Charlotte.
This is the second round of what NC IDEA calls its Ecosystem grants. Eleven grants were made in 2016.
This program “is designed to identify and support partner organizations across the state doing inspired things to help entrepreneurs of high economic potential,” NC IDEA SAYS.
The latest recipients selected from 34 applicants are:
- Bunker Labs RDU, Cary
- Carolina Small Business Development Fund’s Eastern Women’s Entrepreneurship Center, Elizabeth City
- Center for Creative Economy, Winston-Salem
- Office of Regional Economic Development and Millennial Campus, East Carolina University, Greenville
- Innovate Charlotte, Charlotte
- LaunchBio, Inc., Durham
- LaunchUNCG at UNC-Greensboro, Greensboro
- Mountain BizWorks, Asheville
- NCGrowth, Chapel Hill
- StartCharlotte, Charlotte
- Startup High Country, Boone
- Thomas Entrepreneurship Hub, Pembroke
- University of North Carolina Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Wilmington
“Today’s announcement is the Foundation’s largest single funding to date, bringing our total in ECOSYSTEM grants to nearly $3 million to 24 organizations over the past two years,” said Thom Ruhe, CEO of NC IDEA. “By partnering with these organizations, we create greater opportunity for the statewide exchange of ideas, experiences and connections.”
In the announcement, Ruhe noted that “Several of the partners announced today were impacted by Hurricane Florence, but our Ecosystem Partner network is ready to help them relaunch. Together, we are stronger.”
