DURHAM – NC IDEA is deploying $2.3 million more into North Carolina’s startup ecosystems, announcing multiple grant awards at the conclusion of the private foundation’s 2022 Ecosystem Summit this afternoon in Winston-Salem.
The organization has now awarded seven NC IDEA SEED and 13 NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM grants to companies and partners across the state.
In total, when combined with the 15 previously announced MICRO grant awards and the current $600,000 North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council grant supporting North Carolina’s accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), the organization is putting nearly $2.3 million into the state’s entrepreneurial economies in the final quarter of the year.
“Today we announced over $2 million in grants directly to companies and partners across the state strengthening the foundation supporting North Carolina entrepreneurs,” said Thom Ruhe, CEO and President of NC IDEA, in a statement. “These awards are a direct investment in the equitable startup ecosystems of North Carolina and affirm our commitment to empower more people to pursue their entrepreneurial ambition. It is a fitting way to conclude our 2022 Ecosystem Summit,” Ruhe added.
NC IDEA Ecosystem Summit’s focus: ‘To Be Rather Than to Seem’
Meet the SEED grant recipients
NC IDEA awarded seven non-dilutive $50,000 grants to early stage companies in North Carolina. The program, which awards grants twice each year, has now provided more than $8 million to 194 startup companies based in North Carolina since it began in 2006.
The selection process is competitive and NC IDEA vets companies during a three-month process. From 158 applicants, these seven startups were selected:
Boosting entrepreneurial ecosystems
In addition, NC IDEA awarded 13 ECOSYSTEM grants from 55 total applicants. The program specifically focused on supporting under-served entrepreneurs in North Carolina, and the organizations that were awarded grants are (list provided by NC IDEA):
- Array Community Development Corporation (Region Served: Eastern NC – Beaufort)
- Durham Success Summit (Region Served: Triangle – Durham)
- ECHO: Merger of Helius and Audactiy Labs (Region Served: Triangle – Durham)
- Gateway Community Development Corporation (Region Served: Eastern NC – Henderson)
- ImagineHub (a program by Boundless Impact) (Region Served: Western NC)
- National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (Region Served: Statewide)
- NXT /CLT (Region Served: Charlotte)
- Prospera (Regions Served: Charlotte, Triangle, New Hanover)
- ResilNC (Region Served: Triad – Greensboro)
- S.G.Atkins Community Development Corporation (Region Served: Triad – Winston-Salem)
- VentureAsheboro (Region Served: Triad – Asheboro)
- WCU Corporation for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (Region Served: Western NC)
- WE Power Food (Region Served: Statewide)
NC IDEA expands ecosystem network with 15 new partnership grants
