Chancellor's Innovation Fund

May 22, 2025

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Backs Six Budding Inventions

At NC State, we know today’s research drives tomorrow’s breakthroughs — and much of that early innovation begins right here. Recognizing this, Chancellor Randy Woodson launched the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF) in 2010 to help faculty turn bold ideas into real-world impact. The fund has fueled dozens of startups, attracted millions in follow-on support, and delivered solutions that make a difference — and now, meet the 2025 award winners driving the next wave of innovation.

Oct 9, 2024

NC State Highlights Innovation and Entrepreneurship

NC State University is a national leader in generating impactful research innovations. Our talented faculty and student researchers have made discoveries we’ve helped transform into real-world solutions ranging from new…

Jun 17, 2024

Catalyzing Creative Concepts to Solve Commercial Challenges

NC State University research helps turn today’s ideas into tomorrow’s solutions. That’s core to our land-grant mission. The Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF), a competitive internal seed fund, has proven to be…

Nov 28, 2023

Trusting Their Gut: NC State Spinout Company Knows Cows Hold the Key to Quickly Cooling the Climate

Hoofprint Biome, which recently closed a $4.25M pre-seed round of venture capital funding, was founded by two NC State Ph.D. grads with the mission to improve cattle’s gut health and, as…

Nov 20, 2023

Modified DNA Startup Awarded Competitive Seed Grant

NC State startup DNAli Data Technologies was one of six startup companies announced as a recipient of NC IDEA’s SEED grant for its Fall 2023 cycle. A private foundation that…

Aug 31, 2023

NC State Stealth Materials Team Completes NSF I-Corps Teams Program

A research team from North Carolina State University's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering recently completed an intensive National Science Foundation program to assess the commercial viability of a next generation stealth material technology.

May 25, 2023

Major Gift Expands Support for Commercially Focused NC State Research

Entrepreneur and investor Bill Spruill recently donated $900,000 toward the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF), which awards annual grants to Pack members in order to further their cutting-edge work. Spruill hopes…

Oct 17, 2022

NC State Spinout Company Seeks to Spark Innovation, Fight Food Waste

When food science professor Josip Simunovic applied to the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund, he wanted to build a machine. A machine that would allow other inventors like himself to get new…

Jul 22, 2022

Fathom Science’s Metocean Forecasting Technology Wades Into Uncharted Territory

When a storm’s coming, you want to know as soon as possible — especially at sea. Whether it’s a hurricane or an ocean “tornado” headed your way, extra time to…

Aug 7, 2020

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Supports Six Promising Projects

Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Supports Six Promising Projects that range from safer treatments for human and animal health to novel manufacturing methods for toilet paper, lightweight car frames and synthetic fuel.…