| UNC-CH
A world of experience. An engaged community of innovators and entrepreneurs.
Whether you graduated from Carolina, are the parent of a current student, or are simply someone who is enthusiastic about innovation and entrepreneurship and has valuable experiences to share, the Innovate Carolina Global Network is your gateway for engaging with the innovation community in Chapel Hill. This is an opportunity to connect with other established Carolina-affiliated innovators and entrepreneurs, learn about what’s new with the thriving UNC startup scene and help current students achieve their career goals. There’s no better way to share your own professional knowledge and industry expertise, while getting involved with the innovation generation.
Become a mentor
Interested in mentoring someone in the Carolina innovation and entrepreneurship community? UNC offers a variety of programs, and we will reach out and find the one that best fits your expertise. We’ll also match you with faculty or students best suited to learn from your professional experiences.
Inspire and educate students
Be on a panel or join a class to talk about your experiences or professional journey. Tell us about your areas of interest, and we’ll follow up with you to find the best fit based on your experiences and preferences.
Judge a student competition
Get ready to participate in one of our Carolina competitions, which let students pitch their ideas for startups, social ventures or innovation projects. As a judge, you get to decide which ideas rise to the top and which student teams can receive funding or travel to events to take their ideas to next level.
Provide a service
We welcome local professionals to host office hours at Carolina and support the development of UNC startups. Early-stage startups are looking for your guidance in a variety of fields, including finance, accounting, marketing and legal services.
Hire a student intern
Undergraduate students in the Shuford Program for Entrepreneurship are learning the entrepreneurial skills they need to start their own ventures. By hosting a student intern from this program to work in your organization, you’ll help them put their skills to work and inject fresh, inventive thinking into your own business.
Invest in UNC-affiliated companies
Explore membership or partner opportunities with the Carolina Angel Network (CAN), which brings together the UNC-Chapel Hill entrepreneurial community, University alumni network and innovative private companies to empower the businesses that drive our future.
Share your story
The best way for UNC students to create their own success story is by learning about yours. If you have a story to tell about your professional experiences – sage advice, lessons learned, helpful how-to’s – please send us your news. We’ll connect with you about how we can communicate it together.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates via a weekly newsletter from Innovate Carolina that features stories about student, faculty and alumni innovators. Every week, you’ll receive insights on Carolina entrepreneurs who make a difference, a collection of new funding opportunities and a series of upcoming events.
Support our alumni alliance
No matter where alumni live or what their major is, the Innovate Carolina Alumni Alliance gives them opportunities to connect with current student entrepreneurs, innovation-focused faculty and one another.
Connect to our social network
Follow, like, share and engage. There is no better way to get up-to-the-minute scoop about events and opportunities associated with the Innovate Carolina Global Network than our social media channels.