CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Board of Science, Technology & Innovation announced Thursday that 101 North Carolina small businesses have received 117 grants to advance the commercialization of innovative new technologies.
The One North Carolina Small Business Program awarded a total of $4.95 million to innovative companies in 22 counties across the state.
“Support for early-stage technology companies pays off in better jobs, more investment, and new ways to make our state a great place to live and do business,” Governor Roy Cooper said. “These small businesses are tackling society’s most pressing challenges in many areas, including the life sciences, defense, and clean energy. Innovative small companies drive growth and competition, keeping our economy healthy and quality of life high.”
The One North Carolina Small Business Program, established in 2005, provides state grants to companies that are pursuing or have won federal awards through two highly competitive federal programs, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These federal programs, referred to as America’s Seed Fund,™ support small businesses that are developing technologies with a high potential for commercialization. The SBIR and STTR programs are the single largest source of early-stage technology development and commercialization funding for small businesses—more than $3.7 billion annually nationwide.
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“Innovation drives our economy forward, and small businesses are the very best incubators of innovation,” North Carolina Commence Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders said. “The One North Carolina Small Business Program has supported the state’s small technology businesses for many years and I’m proud we’ve been able to extend the program’s reach and boost the number of small companies engaged with the program.”
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