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Our network of startup experts supports innovators in a variety of ways – from coaching and mentoring to connecting startup founders with key service providers. Whether it’s offering guidance about issues related to company management, investors and space, our KickStart team and the trusted service providers we work with can help your company grow at every level.
Support Services
Explore a variety of growth-oriented support services that KickStart can provide to your startup through its relationship with University and regional venture experts and partners.
KickStart and UNC-Based Services
KickStart Advisory Meetings
KickStart Advisory meetings give emerging life science startups the opportunity to present your work and receive feedback from a group of skilled, local advisors. Connections made through these meetings strengthen the local innovation ecosystem and provide a space for valuable knowledge sharing among advisors and company founders. If you are interested in presenting your startup at an upcoming advisory meeting or if you are interested in providing your expertise as an advisor, please contact KickStart at kickstart@unc.edu.
Ask an Innovator
If you are working on an entrepreneurial idea, project or startup, you can use this tool to connect with UNC-affiliated innovation experts and get quick, helpful answers sent directly to your email inbox. You can use this tool for free – it’s provided by Innovate Carolina and the UNC Entrepreneurship Center. All of the mentors are UNC alumni or friends of Carolina who enjoy helping students, faculty and fellow alumni. . They include founders, C-level execs, and experts in finance, R&D, marketing, HR, procurement and practically every business function.
Carolina Express License Agreement
Another important growth aspect for IP-based startups includes licensing the technology they intend to develop. The Carolina Express License Agreement (CELA) is a standard license agreement created exclusively for UNC startups. It is intended for early-stage startups that do not have significant investment. The goals of the agreement are to expedite the licensing process and promote startup formation and development with a fair financial return to the University rather than maximizing financial gain. To learn more, contact the UNC Office of Technology Commercialization.
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence
Through the Innovate Carolina Network and its own relationships with serial entrepreneurs, KickStart can connect you with entrepreneurs-in-residence who work to help spot commercial opportunities emerging from the University. These EIR’s can provide critical advice and guidance to boost the business trajectory of your venture: access to funders, angel investors, advisory board members, venture coaches, administrative and marketing support, and deep expertise across a variety of industry sectors. For more information, please contact KickStart at kickstart@unc.edu.
Networking and Partnering
Need assistance in learning how and when to reach out to vendors, customers and corporations that may become partners for operational success, validation and/or funding? Kickstart helps support your startup with early business development and customer outreach to gain initial traction. You can make essential contracts needed for operations, opportunity feedback and focusing your business planning process. For more information, please contact KickStart at kickstart@unc.edu.
AdvaMed Accel’s University Tech Transfer Initiative
Through AdvaMed Accel’s university technology transfer initiative, KickStart Venture Services helps connect your startup with opportunities for strategic networking and business development. This initiative can strengthen your startup or growth-stage company on policy and advocacy issues that affect innovation in medtech.
Patent Landscaping and Market Research
Innovate Carolina’s Patent Landscaping and Market Research Service provides no-cost services to UNC startups. This team can help with market research, competitor analysis, and grant/funding opportunity searches.
External Networking, Advising and Education
Council for Entrepreneurial Development
If you’re just getting started with a new company and need support, or if you’re an experienced entrepreneur wanting to foster a young company’s success, CED facilitates the ideal connections.
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Life science thrives in North Carolina because of NCBiotech’s powerful ecosystem. NCBiotech has a strong cluster of support companies, a talented workforce and resources in spades. The NCBiotech team has amassed a great list of resources and connections that will help your business continue to grow.
Small Business Technology Development Center
SBTDC’s technology commercialization services team provides one-on-one business counseling and advice to small business owners, university researchers, and entrepreneurs looking to advance their innovations to the marketplace.
SBTDC Internship
Each summer, SBTDC offers consulting internship opportunities to qualified graduate students from the University of North Carolina. Graduate students interested in enhancing their educational experience work with the SBTDC’s technology commercialization services team to provide consulting assistance to select SBTDC clients.
Incubation
KickStart Accelerator
Located in the Institute for Convergent Science on the second floor of the Genome Sciences Building in the heart of campus, the KickStart Accelerator provides a great home for startups, offering space designed to foster collaboration and encourage innovation.
Launch Chapel Hill
Launch Chapel Hill is an international award-winning startup accelerator located in downtown Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
CUBE
Located in the UNC Campus Y, CUBE provides social entrepreneurs at Carolina with a number of benefits: capacity building outside the classroom; elite coaching and mentoring from seasoned entrepreneurs; co-working space; and seed funding for venture development.
NC IDEA LABS
The four-week LABS program helps entrepreneurs refine their business model and learn more about their customers.
BioLabs North Carolina
BioLabs NC is a fully equipped, wet lab co-working space in Durham for life science entrepreneurs, scientists and their startups to form a community based on networking, innovation and fun.
First Flight Venture Center
First Flight Venture Center is North Carolina’s original science, technology, and business incubator. Located in the heart of the Research Triangle Park, we support the launch of bioscience, life science, medical device, and information technology companies.
The Frontier
Central to everything in the Triangle, the Frontier offers meeting and office spaces, educational opportunities, and networking events for growing businesses.
Local Service Providers
By working with a multitude of companies from over a decade, KickStart has built relationships with a variety of service providers in the community. These organizations can help you with core business and operational functions that are essential for your company as it grows.
SBIR/STTR SUPPORT
- Grant Engine
- InteliSpark
- Eva Garland Consulting
- Joe Ruiz (jruiz@emergingbiodevelopment.com)
- Nick Trotta Consulting
