Science, Technology & Innovation

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

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 and the North Carolina SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds Program.

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

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.

Policy Research

Policy Research

The Office of Science, Technology & Innovation conducts policy research that is both innovative and strategic in nature, and is responsible for producting the state's primary innovation barometer, Tracking Innovation. Recent publications from the Office include:

Click here for a comprehensive list of the Office's policy research publications and files.

Contacts

Contacts

Executive Staff

John Hardin, Ph.D.
Executive Director
919-814-4639
jhardin@nccommerce.com

David Kaiser
Assistant Director
919-814-4641
david.kaiser@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

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)

map of NC research parks

Resource Links

Resource Links

The resources below represent key components of North Carolina's science, technology, and innovation-based ecosystem.

Government Departments & Offices

Business & Entrepreneurship Support

Associations, Institutes, & Think Tanks

Educational Organizations & Centers

Science Museums

Research Parks

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