NCInnovation

We’re SO excited to announce our partnership with the NC IDEA Foundation for its 8th Annual Ecosystem Summit! By working together, NCInnovation and NC IDEA are helping strengthen the pathway from university research and invention to entrepreneurship, commercialization and economic growth—giving more promising ideas the opportunity to take root and grow here in North Carolina. The full story is here: https://lnkd.in/eJSuBW9u. Michelle Bolas

Faculty members within the University of North Carolina System are known for their ground-breaking research. The challenge is turning those discoveries into thriving companies and job opportunitites. On WUNC's Due South, NCInnovation President and CEO Michelle Bolas talks about why changing that matters. From helping researchers navigate the path from breakthrough to business to keeping innovation, investment and opportunity here in North Carolina-- it's a conversation about the state's future and how we compete in the innovation economy. Listen to the full episode, here: https://lnkd.in/dYpnWpTh

Louis Judge --- MBA, CLP, RTTP Judge had the opportunity to meet with faculty researchers at the Joint School of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering to talk about where NCInnovation fits into the commercialization journey. As researchers begin thinking about moving discoveries beyond the lab, one of the biggest questions is often how to bridge the gap between early-stage research and commercial investment. Louis shared how NCInnovation's milestone-based funding model helps address that challenge by supporting promising university technologies as they advance toward the marketplace. It was a great opportunity to introduce faculty to the resources available across North Carolina's innovation ecosystem and discuss how NCInnovation helps more university research create economic opportunity for the state. Michelle Fiscus

What if one of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer treatment isn't creating a new drug—but changing how we deliver the ones we already have? That's the question driving NCInnovation-funded researcher Dr. Brianna Vickerman, PhD at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her team is developing a light-activated drug delivery platform designed to keep powerful cancer therapies inactive as they travel through the body, then activate them only at the tumor site. The goal is simple but transformative: attack cancer while reducing damage to healthy tissue and minimizing the harmful side effects patients often experience. In our latest video, Dr. Vickerman shares the origin of this idea, the science behind the technology and why advancing research like this could help redefine the future of cancer treatment. Watch the full story here: https://lnkd.in/g5GvpgXk UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Eshelman Innovation Michelle Fiscus Louis Judge --- MBA, CLP, RTTP

NCInnovation is proud to join the statewide partnership launching the Western North Carolina Futures Factory. As a strategic partner, we'll help accelerate commercialization by connecting promising university discoveries with industry opportunities, expanding pathways that move emerging technologies from the laboratory to the marketplace. The Western North Carolina Futures Factory will serve as a hub for advanced manufacturing innovation, bringing together researchers, manufacturers, entrepreneurs and workforce partners to strengthen North Carolina's manufacturing ecosystem and help drive the next generation of innovation. Learn more about the partnership: https://lnkd.in/eCFHVb5A Appalachian State University University of North Carolina at Charlotte

The future of battery manufacturing depends on more than breakthrough technologies—it depends on building a stronger supply chain. At University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Dr. Hemali Rathnayake is developing an innovative process to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate, helping strengthen a critical link in North Carolina's growing battery ecosystem. With support from NCInnovation, her research has the potential to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains while creating new opportunities for advanced manufacturing, economic growth, and energy innovation right here in North Carolina. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/esX45edW Louis Judge --- MBA, CLP, RTTP LaKeya Hardy, PhD Michelle Fiscus

In the latest episode of Ecosysteming, Doug Speight—CEO of AxNano, entrepreneur and longtime commercialization leader—discusses one of the biggest challenges in moving university research to the marketplace: technologies often need to be de-risked before private investors are willing to engage. During the conversation with Thom Ruhe, Doug highlights NCInnovation's role in helping bridge that gap by supporting researchers as they advance promising technologies toward commercialization—making them more attractive to future industry partners and investors. It's a thoughtful conversation about entrepreneurship, commercialization and what it takes to strengthen North Carolina's innovation ecosystem. Thank you to Doug and Thom for the discussion—and for recognizing the importance of building the commercialization infrastructure. Watch and/or listen, here: https://lnkd.in/eERVsUrt Michelle Bolas Michelle Fiscus NC IDEA

This week, NCInnovation was proud to help lead that conversation as a partner of the North Carolina Research Administrators Alliance's 2026 Annual Conference. As part of the conference's expanded programming, NCInnovation led sessions focused on commercialization, university-industry collaboration and building stronger connections across North Carolina's public universities. Participants explored how research administration is playing an increasingly strategic role in accelerating innovation and helping promising technologies reach the people and industries that need them most. Thank you to NC RAA and everyone who shared ideas, experiences and perspectives throughout the conference. Linda Hall, David Wyrick, Ph.D., Derrick Welch, Erica Shrader, LaKeya Hardy, PhD, Scott Davis, Tiffanie Taylor, MA, Robin Murchison, Michelle Fiscus.

What if millions of pounds of surplus North Carolina sweetpotatoes could become the next breakthrough in plant-based food? That's the vision behind Rootsii, a startup founded to commercialize technology developed by researchers at Appalachian State University. With support from NCInnovation, Dr. Brett Taubman and Daniel Parker are continuing to advance the technology while working to bring it from the laboratory to the marketplace. The innovation has already generated significant interest for its potential to create new value for North Carolina farmers, reduce agricultural waste and expand opportunities within the state's food manufacturing sector. One of the most exciting parts of the story is who gets to help build it. Students in the researchers' labs aren't simply observing the process—they're contributing to product development and gaining firsthand experience in commercialization, entrepreneurship and applied research. Watch how research becomes workforce development—and learn more about how this product could revolutionize the usage of sweetpotatoes throughout the United States. https://lnkd.in/eTkTSPD7 Meagan Coneybeer, Kym Verhovshek, Michelle Fiscus, Sean Johnson

Research Triangle Park has spent nearly 70 years proving what can happen when universities, industry and government work together. Leaders from across North Carolina gathered to celebrate the launch of RTP 3.0—the most significant evolution of the Park since its founding in 1959 and a vision for the next 50 years of innovation! Read on to learn more why collaboration remains North Carolina's greatest competitive advantage—and what it will take to keep the state at the forefront of research, commercialization and economic growth for decades to come. https://lnkd.in/eZu4e53a Scott Levitan, 📣 Kelly Propst, Michelle Bolas, Linda Hall, Research Triangle Foundation, Michelle Fiscus