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2024 ORI Annual Report

6. Lead in Developing Innovative Partnerships, Entrepreneurial Thinking and Applied Problem-Solving

NC State recognizes that many of society’s toughest problems can only be solved through powerful multi-disciplinary partnerships and an entrepreneurial approach. Our partnerships are numerous and varied, including academic, industry, government and non-profit. Through innovative partnerships and extracurricular opportunities, ORI helps NC State continue to fuel and elevate its entrepreneurial ecosystem.

NSF I-Corps Mid-Atlantic Hub

NC State continues to act as a leading Partner in the NSF Mid-Atlantic I-Corps Hub. This partnership with 12 other leading research universities builds on I-Corps programming to create a diverse and sustainable innovation ecosystem in the United States. Thirty teams completed the NC State regional I-Corps training program this year and seven new startups were launched by previous I-Corps participants. Three NC State I-Corps teams were accepted into NSF’s National I-Corps Program, receiving $200,000 in NSF grant funding from the program.

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF)

The Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF) continues to provide critical funding to early-stage research teams seeking to bring technologies to a licensable stage. This year there were 39 projects proposed and six projects awarded. Other notable CIF impacts and awardee updates are illustrated in Figure 5 and listed below.

  • The intellectual property associated with Dr. Yevgeny Brudno’s Biomaterial-Assisted Generation of CAR-T Cells (2021 Awardee) was licensed to Takara. It will be available as a product for purchase for biomedical applications.
  • Hoofprint Biome (2021 Awardee) secured $6.3M total in follow-on funding from a combination of venture capital funding and non-dilutive grant funding.

SBIR/STTR SparkPlug

This year the Office of Research Commercialization (ORC) continued its SparkPlug program to increase our University startups’ chances of winning non-dilutive grant funding from federal SBIR/STTR Programs. Through a partnership with NC State’s Kenan Institute for Engineering Technology and Science (KIETS), 18 companies have received SparkPlug funding since inception in 2020, which have been awarded $152,500. As a result, seven companies have gone on to secure SBIR/STTR funds totaling $6.8M.

Master Research Agreements

ORI’s Sponsored Programs Office enjoys a close relationship with the Office of Partnerships in developing strategic partner relationships — primarily with industry — and supporting public-private partnerships. Sponsored Programs’ Industry Negotiations team participates in the Industry Liaisons Working Group, organized by Partnerships and bringing together those across the University who work with industry, to enhance, streamline and synergize NC State’s industry engagement processes, which depend on the coordination of many different campus units. Master Research and Service Agreements often form an essential part of these strategic partnerships — and, more broadly, position NC State and its partners to launch newly conceived research efforts quickly. Master Agreements established this year* include:

  • Edgewise Therapeutics, Inc.
  • Analytical Mechanical Associates Inc.
  • TriviumVet
  • Dairy Management, Inc. – Renewal
  • SmithBucklin & Associates, LLC – Renewal
  • Institute of International Education (IIE)
  • Merck KGaA

Negotiations are underway with five additional industry and non-profit sponsors.