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 programs (in the form of grant programs), strategic programs, and policy research & reports to advance economic growth in the state.
More on STI
The North Carolina Office of Science, Technology & Innovation offers the following grant programs to fund innovative science and technology companies in the state:
One North Carolina Small Business Program
(Applications now being accepted! Click on link for more information)
- The SBIR/STTR Phase I Incentive Funds Program provides funding to help NC businesses apply for federal Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards.
- The SBIR/STTR Phase I Matching Funds Program awards matching funds to NC businesses who have received a federal Phase I SBIR or STTR award.
The SBIR and STTR programs help small businesses develop and commercialize innovative new technologies.
To see the latest program solicitations, apply to the program, submit a report, or find information about the program in general, see:
To learn about the impacts of the program, see Program Impacts & Success Stories.
Also see the latest press release on awarded FY 2024 grants: North Carolina Awards Science, Technology and Innovation Grants to 80 Small Businesses (October 18, 2024).
The U.S. Economic Development Adminstration's (EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program is an economic development initiative designed to drive regional technology- and innovation-centric growth by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies. For more details, see the EDA's Tech Hubs website.
The Tech Hubs program will invest directly in regions with the assets, resources, capacity, and potential to transform into globally competitive innovation centers in approximately 10 years while catalyzing the creation of good jobs for American workers at all skill levels, both equitably and inclusively.
For North Carolina-specific information, see the TechHubsforNC website.
The Office of Science, Technology & Innovation produces research and reports that focus on both innovation and strategy, and is responsible for producing the state's primary innovation barometer, Tracking Innovation. Recent reports from the Office include:
Innovation
| NC Innovation Index (2024) | Advancing Defense Innovation |
|---|---|
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| See Press Release | See Press Release |
| University Innovation Council | Innovation-to-Jobs Working Group |
|---|---|
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See more innovation reports.
Strategy
| Southeast Energy Innovation Leadership | Clean Energy and Clean Transportation |
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| Carolinas' Energy Economy Survey | NC In the Next Tech Tsunami |
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| See Press Release | See Press Release |
See more strategy reports.
A comprehensive list of the Office's policy research reports and files can be found here.
Innovation Hubs are dedicated spaces that bring together researchers, innovators, businesses, and entrepreneurs to fuel the advancement of science and technology. These Hubs serve as epicenters of innovation, research, and product commercialization. They also serve as anchors supporting the growth of local and regional innovation economies, providing high-wage careers as well as supplying our country and the world with novel solutions to our greatest threats.
| Areas of focus and expertise include: | Additional Areas of focus and expertise: |
|---|---|
| Advanced Agriculture & Nutrition | Alternative & Renewable Energy |
| Advanced Manufacturing & Precision Metrology | Biomedical & Health Sciences |
| Computer Science, Information Technology & Data Analytics | Environmental Sciences |
| Marine Biotechnology | Motorsports & Automotive Engineering |
| Nanoscience & Nanoengineering | Pharmaceutical Research & Development |
North Carolina Innovation Hubs are spread across the state and range from traditional Science Parks to urban Innovation Districts with immersive mixed-use business, commercial, and residential development.
Interactive Map
The map below provides links to the most prominent science-based innovation hubs in North Carolina.
For best viewing, open the map in full screen.
Since 2017, the Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (OSTI), on behalf of the Board of Science, Technology & Innovation (BSTI), has had a special focus on the Data Economy —a business ecosystem predicated on the digital transformation of operations, products, and services.
"Data Economy" is a general term inclusive of big data, data science, and analytics. Leadership in the Data Economy is becoming increasingly critical, as more and more economic value is based on the ability to successfully collect and manipulate data for insight and profit.
To facilitate preparation of students in North Carolina to contribute to and thrive in the Data Economy, the BSTI, with support from the NC Office of Strategic Partnerships (OSP), has developed a visualization tool to map the distribution of data literacy pathways in Career and Technical Education (CTE) among high schools in North Carolina, as well as data-focused certificates and degree programs across community colleges, four-year colleges and universities in across the state.
The visualization tool’s intended users include (but are not limited to) educators, government agencies, elected officials, and business leaders. Created by Western Carolina University (WCU) professor Scott Barlowe, the tool is available at:
A link to documentation on explaining and illustrating how to use the tool is at the link above and Documentation.
Additional background on the visualization tool's development is available at OSP's Project Portal.
Additional information about the strategic importance of the Data Economy is available at Data Economy Press Release.
Executive Staff
| John Hardin, Ph.D. Executive Director 919-280-5249 jhardin@commerce.nc.gov |
| Jesse S. Jur, Ph.D. Deputy Director 919-928-2342 jjur@commerce.nc.gov |
| Chris Schmidt Grants Manager 919-814-4668 chris.schmidt@commerce.nc.gov |
| Maylyn Hinson North Carolina STEM Policy Fellow 706-577-1244 maylyn.hinson@commerce.nc.gov |
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 - Business Registration
- NC State Energy Office
- NC Broadband
- NC State Energy Profile
Business & Entrepreneurship Support
- NC Biotechnology Center
- NC Business Incubation Association
- NC Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Map
- NCInnovation
- 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