The mission of the North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation is to improve the economic well‐being and quality of life of all North Carolinians through advancing science, technology, and innovation.
To achieve this mission, the Office develops and administers policies and programs that accelerate both the development of next-generation technology companies and the adoption of technology across existing industry.
As staff to the Board of Science, Technology & Innovation, and working with organizations across the state, it identifies and communicates emerging opportunities in science and technology and prepares and publishes analyses outlining the competitive position of North Carolina’s businesses and research institutions in these areas.
The NC Office of Science, Technology & Innovation conducts tactical progams (in the form of grants), strategic programs, and policy research to advance economic growth in the state.
Grant Programs
The North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation offers the following grants programs to help fund innovative science and technology companies in the state:
One North Carolina Small Business Program - State matching awards for North Carolina businesses who have been awarded a federal Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. The is comprised of two programs: the SBIR/STTR Phase I Matching Funds Program (See current solicitation at link above) and the North Carolina SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds Program.
See the October 2, 2020 press release regarding the FY 2021 program solicitation.
See highlights of how six Program grantees are combating COVID-19.
Green Business Fund - Competitive grants to help NC small businesses develop commercial innovations and applications in the biofuels industry and the green building industry, as well as attract and leverage private sector investments and entrepreneurial growth in environmentally conscious technologies and renewable energy products and businesses. This program is currently inactive.
Strategic Programs
The North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation conducts strategic programs on specific, targeted programmatic activities to advance innovation:
InnovateNC is a private-public partnership between Forward Cities, a national learning collaborative of communities committed to inclusive innovation, and the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Office of Science, Technology & Innovation, that helps communities and regions in North Carolina expand their innovation economy and foster greater economic inclusion.
The Southeast Energy Innovation Collaborative is a partnership with the NC Office of Science, Technology & Innovation, E4 Carolinas and other energy organizations to advance innovation within the energy industry. Click here to see the initial report from the Collaborative.
The North Carolina Opportunities in the Data Economy (NCODE) is joint project between the NC Office of Science, Technology & Innovation and the National Consortium for Data Science to explore opportunties to advance innovation within the data science industry. Click here to see the report from this effort.
Research & Reports
The Office of Science, Technology & Innovation produces research and reports that focus on both innovation and strategy, and is responsible for producting the state's primary innovation barometer, Tracking Innovation. Recent reports from the Office include:
Innovation
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See more innovation reports.
Strategy
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See more strategy reports.
Click here for a comprehensive list of the Office's policy research reports and files.
Contacts
Executive Staff
John Hardin, Ph.D.
Executive Director
919-814-4639
jhardin@nccommerce.com
David Kaiser
Deputy Director
919-814-4641
david.kaiser@nccommerce.com
James Withrow
North Carolina STEM Policy Fellow
919-307-9125
james.withrow@nccommerce.com
Ruth Maitz
Executive Assistant
919-814-4642
ruth.maitz@nccommerce.com
Follow the NC Office of Science, Technology & Innovation on Twitter at @NCSTI.
Science Parks
North Carolina Research Parks are sites of opportunity where businesses and knowledge resources meet to promote the innovation economy.
Defined by being a nucleus of technology efforts, these locations are drivers of scientific and information technology research and product commercialization. This provides careers in the local area, and it supplies our country and world with novel solutions to our greatest threats.
Areas of focus and expertise include:
- Health & Well-Being
- Energy & the Environment
- Education Innovation
- Safety & Security
Across the state, people are working on various campuses to develop the next big thing. These sites are:
- Research Triangle Park, Durham
- Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University, Raleigh
- Charlotte Research Institute at UNC Charlotte, Charlotte
- Wake Forest Innovation Quarter at Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem
- Gateway University Research Park at UNC Greensboro and NC A&T State University, Greensboro
- NC Research Campus of NC University System, Kannapolis
- CREST Research Park at UNC Wilmington, Wilmington
- Carolina North at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill
- WCU Millennial Initiative at Western Carolina University, Cullowhee
- Appalachian Millennial Campus at Appalachian State University, Boone
- ECU Millennial Campus at East Carolina University, Greenville
Want to visit or find a job? Find the NC Park nearest you on the map below. (Date of establishment in parenthesis)
Resource Links
The resources below represent key components of North Carolina's science, technology, and innovation-based ecosystem.
Government Departments & Offices
- NC Governor’s Office
- NC General Assembly
- NC (State of NC) Page
- NC Department of Commerce
- NC Office of Information Technology Services
- NC Secretary of State - Corporations Division
- NC State Auditor’s Office
- NC State Energy Office
- NC Broadband
- NC State Energy Profile
Business & Entrepreneurship Support
- NC Biotechnology Center
- NC Business Incubation Association
- Council for Entrepreneurial Development (CED)
- Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC)
Associations, Institutes, & Think Tanks
- NC Association for Biomedical Research (NCABR)
- NC Economic Development Association (NCEDA)
- NC Technology Association (NCTA)
- NC STEM Center
- NC Science Leadership Association
- Institute for Emerging Issues
- Kenan Institute of Engineering, Technology & Science
- MCNC
- National Consortium for Data Science (managed by RENCI)
- Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI)
- Research Triangle Institute International (RTI International)
Educational Organizations & Centers
- University of North Carolina (all 16 UNC institutions)
- REACH NC (Research, Engagement and Capabilities Hub of NC)
- NC School of Science and Mathematics
- NC Independent Colleges and Universities
- NC Community College System
- NC BioNetwork
- NC Science House
- NC Clean Energy Technology Center
- FIRST North Carolina Robotics
- NC Mathematics and Science Education Network
- NC Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center (SMT Center)
Science Museums
- NC Grassroots Science Museum Collaborative
- Discovery Place
- Museum of Life and Science
- NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Research Parks
- Carolina North (Millennial Campus at UNC-Chapel Hill)
- Centennial Campus (Millennial Campus at NCSU)
- Charlotte Research Institute (Millennial Campus at UNC Charlotte)
- CREST Research Park (Millennial Campus at UNC Wilmington)
- Gateway University Research Park (Joint Millennial Campus of UNCG & NC A&T)
- Millennial Initiative at Western Carolina University (Millennial Campus at WCU)
- NC Research Campus
- Wake Forest Innovation Quarter
- Research Triangle Park