# NC Idea

NC Idea is a Foundation based in Durham, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Durham, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Durham, NC, United States
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** ncidea.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/nc-idea

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

NC IDEA is a Durham, North Carolina-based organization founded in 2006. It primarily serves the entrepreneurial sector. NC IDEA offers competitive grants and programs, as well as a network of strategic partners to assist entrepreneurs.

## Sectors

- Entrepreneurship
- Startups

## Questions

### How does NC IDEA source its deal flow?

NC IDEA sources startups through a combination of open applications, regional partner networks including universities and economic development organizations, and its own ecosystem intelligence from NC IDEA LABS. The foundation does not rely on external intermediaries or fee-based sourcing (per the firm's application process).

### Does NC IDEA participate in equity investments or only grants?

Historically, NC IDEA focused exclusively on non-dilutive grants. However, its December 2024 partnership with the North Carolina Department of Commerce introduced a co-investment component, enabling the foundation to take equity positions alongside state capital (per the firm, December 2024).

### What investment stages does NC IDEA typically target?

NC IDEA targets pre-seed and seed-stage startups through its SEED program (up to $50,000) and earlier feasibility-stage ventures through its MICRO program (up to $10,000). The foundation does not target later-stage companies. Startups must be headquartered or have significant operations in North Carolina.

### How does NC IDEA measure its impact?

NC IDEA conducts an annual economic impact study, which reported in 2023 that its portfolio companies had raised over $2.5 billion in follow-on capital and created thousands of jobs in North Carolina (per the firm, 2023). These metrics are publicly released and serve as the primary measurement framework.

## Related profiles

- [Monsido](https://altss.com/profile/monsido)
- [TruServe Groundscare Inc.](https://altss.com/profile/truserve-groundscare-inc)

---

Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/nc-idea

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology