Discoveries Making a Difference

Creating impact is what we do. NC State faculty and student innovators are at the cutting edge of technological advancements that have greatly impacted our world. Learn more about NC State’s track record of success.

NC State SUCCESSES

Cree

Startup that used silicon carbide to create blue LEDs and full-color displays, which later led to the formation of Wolfspeed, a global leader in silicon carbide materials.

Cree’s Historical Contribution

SmartFresh

Compound commercialized by startup AgroFresh that delays ripening of produce during shipping, which was used commercially in 40 countries and brought in more than $25 million in licensing revenue to the university over its lifetime.

SmartFresh’s Technology

Covington Sweetpotato

One of NC State’s most impactful varieties that makes up over 90% of the sweepotatos grown in NC and 20% of U.S. sweetpotato acreage, generating over $3.5B in revenue for NC growers.

About the Covington Sweetpotato Success

WebAssign

Startup commercializing web-based automated grading, assistive learning, classroom management, and digital courseware platform that was acquired by large Boston-based textbook publisher Cengage Learning.

WebAssign’s Empire

CellSentry

Mobile security technology commercialized by spinout CellSentry and sublicensed to make up one of the core components of the Samsung Knox platform deployed in their mobile phones and tablets.

About CellSentry

Sentinel Biomedical

A spinout from Dr. Matthew Breen in the College of Veterinary Medicine that developed the CADET® BRAF product, a non-invasive, urine test to aid detection of canine bladder and prostate cancers.

More about Sentinel Biomedical

Mimikai

NC State startup that developed the first all-natural, EPA-registered insect repellent for personal protection against mosquitoes and ticks as an alternative to DEET through the use of a compound produced from the wild tomato plant.

Mimikai Product Announcement.

SinnovaTek

Food technology spinout using continuous-flow microwave thermal processing to enable long shelf life and flavor and quality preservation of fruit- and vegetable-based fluid food products.

Learn about SinnovaTek

Locus Biosciences

Spinout from the lab of Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou that is developing precision antibacterial therapies that use CRISPR gene-editing technology to kill harmful bacterial pathogens in the human body.

About Locus Biosciences’ Technology

By the Numbers

Supplement Your Lawn & Garden

Browse commercially-available plant varieties with ties to the Pack, from tomatoes and blueberries to ornamentals and turfgrass.

View the Plant Varieties

Impactful Innovators

Learn more about NC State researchers who have been recognized nationally and internationally for their work.

National Inventors Hall of Fame

Eight NC State faculty members have been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, which recognizes innovators who have changed the world.

Inventors Hall of Fame

Innovator & Entrepreneur of the Year

Annual awards recognizing NC State inventors or entrepreneurs that have demonstrated excellence in innovation or entrepreneurship.

Past Recipients of the Award

National Academy of Inventors Fellows

Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors.

NC State Fellows