NC IDEA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting early-stage, high-growth technology companies in North Carolina. It primarily offers financial assistance through its NC IDEA SEED and NC IDEA MICRO programs. NC IDEA SEED provides $50,000 grants to innovative startups with viable concepts, helping them scale more quickly, while also offering mentorship to mitigate growth risks. Since its inception in 2006, this initiative has granted over $7.2 million to 161 companies, with nearly 70 percent of these businesses still operational today. Collectively, they have secured over $295 million in additional funding and created more than 1,860 jobs. The NC IDEA MICRO program complements this by offering $10,000 grants to early-stage companies seeking to validate and advance their ideas. Through these efforts, NC IDEA plays a crucial role in fostering the growth of technology-driven entrepreneurship in the region.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center, established in 1981 as a private, non-profit corporation by the state's General Assembly, is dedicated to enhancing the biotechnology sector in North Carolina. It focuses on fostering biotechnology research, business development, and educational initiatives to create long-term economic benefits for the state. Although it does not conduct laboratory research itself, the Center plays a crucial role in supporting job creation and promoting strategic policies that bolster the biotechnology industry. By facilitating collaboration among researchers, businesses, and educational institutions, the Center aims to position North Carolina as a leader in biotechnology innovation and economic growth.

Duke Energy is a major electric power holding company based in the United States, providing electric and natural gas services to approximately 7.5 million customers across six states, including Ohio and Kentucky. The company operates through two primary segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure. It generates electricity from a diverse mix of sources, including coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, solar, and natural gas, and boasts an electric generating capacity of about 35,000 megawatts in the Carolinas and the Midwest. In addition to electricity, Duke Energy also offers natural gas transportation and distribution services. The company is committed to sustainability and community support, further evidenced by its philanthropic efforts through the Duke Energy Foundation, which focuses on enhancing community vitality and promoting climate resilience. Founded in 1837 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy continues to play a significant role in the energy sector.

Techstars Central LLC, founded in 2006 and based in Boulder, Colorado, operates as a startup accelerator and venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology-oriented companies. It specializes in a mentorship-driven accelerator program, selecting ten startups each summer to participate in a three-month incubation period, offering funding of $120,000 in exchange for equity. Techstars invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented reality, and IoT, while avoiding investments in medical devices, healthcare technology, and local service-oriented businesses. In addition to its primary accelerator, Techstars has various specialized programs, including those focused on music, retail, mobility, and social impact, with global reach extending to regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The firm prefers taking minority stakes, typically between six and ten percent, without seeking board representation or investor rights. Techstars has built a robust network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate partners to foster innovation and growth within its portfolio, which includes over 1,000 companies with a significant collective market capitalization.

VentureSouth is a venture capital firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, specializing in startup and early-stage investments. Established in 2014, the firm primarily focuses on manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare sectors within the Southeastern United States, particularly in the Carolinas and neighboring states. VentureSouth typically invests between $0.25 million and $2 million for a preferred equity stake ranging from 15% to 35%. The firm aims for investments that have the potential to achieve a 50% annualized rate of return over a 3-5 year horizon. Unlike many investors, VentureSouth does not engage in common equity or debt investments, and it rarely considers convertible debt.

Idea Fund Partners is a private equity firm founded in 2007, based in Wisconsin. The firm specializes in providing seed and early-stage equity funding along with company-building expertise. It targets investment opportunities in technology, healthcare, engineered products, agriculture, education, and financial services across the United States, with a particular focus on emerging geographies. The firm aims to support entrepreneurs, their customers, and local communities through its investments, fostering growth in various sectors, including IT, materials technologies, and medical devices.

Cofounders Capital is a venture capital firm based in Cary, North Carolina, that specializes in early-stage, seed, and startup investments. Established in 2015, the firm focuses primarily on the business-to-business software sector and typically invests around $0.3 million per venture, often taking minority stakes. Cofounders Capital collaborates with the Town of Cary to offer free lab space to entrepreneurs, providing them with expert guidance in modeling and vetting their startup ideas. The firm assists in prototyping and connecting ventures with beta customers, ultimately funding the most promising projects through its seed fund. Cofounders Capital is managed by David Gardner, a serially successful entrepreneur, and supported by a team of over seventy advisers and volunteer mentors who are committed to fostering entrepreneurship in the Triangle region.

Bull City Venture Partners is a venture capital firm based in Durham, North Carolina, focused on early-stage investments in technology and healthcare companies. Founded in 2012, the firm primarily targets investments in sectors such as software, health information technology, mobile, internet, e-commerce, and digital media. Bull City Venture Partners aims to invest in companies located in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, although it remains open to opportunities in other areas as well. The firm often seeks to lead investment rounds and typically prefers to take a board seat to support the growth and capital needs of the businesses they invest in. Their investment range typically spans from $0.3 million to $3 million.

Hatteras Discovery is a venture capital firm based in Durham, North Carolina, focusing on early and seed stage investments in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. Established in August 2011 as a subsidiary of Hatteras Venture Partners, it primarily targets therapeutic areas such as ophthalmology, cardiovascular, pulmonary, anti-infectives, oncology, immunology, and orphan diseases. The firm aims to invest between $0.25 million and $1 million in portfolio companies located in North Carolina, emphasizing its commitment to supporting regional innovation in healthcare. Hatteras Discovery leverages the expertise and resources of its parent company, which has a broader focus on biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare technologies, thereby enhancing its ability to foster the growth of emerging companies in the healthcare landscape.

SOSV is a global venture capital firm founded in 1995 and headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. Specializing in seed-to-growth stage investments, SOSV operates multiple accelerator programs worldwide, including HAX for hardware, IndieBio and RebelBio for life sciences, Chinaccelerator and MOX for cross-border internet ventures, Food-X for innovative food solutions, and dlab for blockchain technology. The firm focuses on investments in revolutionary deep technologies aimed at improving human and planetary health, as well as cross-border markets, particularly in Asia. SOSV invests in approximately 150 startups annually, providing support through its resources to accelerate product development and scaling. Over its two-decade history, SOSV has established a strong reputation, consistently ranking among the top venture capital firms globally.