Impact

Startups Making a Difference

Creating impact is what we do. Our faculty and students are at the cutting edge of technological advancements, and we help to get their ideas and innovations into the marketplace. At every stage of innovation, we’re here to support researchers. Hundreds of startup companies have been launched based on NC State research — creating billions in annual economic impact for North Carolina.

Catalyzing Creative Concepts to Solve Commercial Challenges

The Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF), a competitive internal seed fund, has selected six more research projects to support this coming year.

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Meet Five Wolfpack Women Who Are Innovative Entrepreneurs

Five women who lead startups based on NC State research — and also either hold degrees from the university or teach here — share their insights and perspectives as researchers and startup founders.

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Ship Repair Startup Forging Its Way to Market

What if an app could get more U.S. Navy ships back to sea sooner? The co-founder of startup company Washington’s Hammer knows just how hard it can be to get an aircraft carrier, battleship or destroyer back in sailing shape. 

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By the Numbers

• Over 250 startups and spinoffs based on NC State research, attracting a total of $1.7 billion in venture capital.
• #3 nationwide for startups launched among universities without a medical school; #2 nationwide in active licenses and options.
• Over 2,000 patents issued worldwide.
• The Wolfpack Investor Network (WIN) matches NC State alumni investors with promising university-affiliated startups to facilitate mentoring, support and angel investments for entrepreneurial businesses. WIN currently has 140 members, and WIN members have invested more than $13 million in 23 NC State-affiliated startups.
• The George W. Bush Institute study on The Innovation Impact of U.S. Universities listed NC State as one of the top 20 universities for innovation impact.
• The Milken Institute, an economic think tank, cited the collaboration and innovation fostered by NC State — and particularly by Centennial Campus — as key reasons why Raleigh is the one of the top 10 best-performing large cities in the United States.
• NC State and its students, alumni and associated startups generate $6.5 billion of North Carolina income annually.
• Eighty-two NC State startups have supported research on campus, accounting for 32% of all university spinouts. Through their contributions, these startups have provided $33.3 million in sponsored research, with $11.7 million coming in the past five years (2018-2023)—a 60% increase over the previous five-year period.

Five Year Metrics