Innovation

Carolina is a place where innovators and entrepreneurs thrive. It's a place where you can make a positive difference by putting your ideas to use for the public good.

Two students use a 3D printer.

Innovate for all

Carolina innovators are helping to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Through their ingenuity, they provide economic and social value in North Carolina and beyond: creating jobs, finding cures, combatting diseases, fighting poverty, eliminating hunger, providing clean water and promoting social justice.

Innovate Carolina is a cross-campus alliance of people and programs that helps UNC-Chapel Hill students, faculty and alumni turn their ideas into innovations that improve how people work and live. Led by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, Innovate Carolina ensures that people at UNC-Chapel Hill have the knowledge, tools and resources they need to put their ideas into action.

Now it’s time to take the next step on your own innovation journey. Get involved in the Innovate Carolina Network and learn how you can:

  • 26entrepreneurship-focused undergraduate courses
  • 521Carolina-affiliated startup ventures created since 1958
  • $10 billionin annual revenue earned by UNC-Chapel Hill startups in 2016
  • 256startup companies founded by students and alumni as of June 30, 2017
  • 75startup companies created at Launch Chapel Hill accelerator since 2013
  • 70,225jobs created by Carolina startups as of December 2016
  • 90,000+lives improved by social ventures launched by students since 2013

Innovation at Carolina

  • Campus creators

    UNC-Chapel Hill’s Be a Maker program is a network of makerspaces where Carolina’s maker community design and make physical objects for education, research, entrepreneurship and recreation. Students can participate in open studios, training sessions, workshops, hosted classes and group activities in spaces equipped with emerging technologies like 3D printing as well as wood and metalworking shops.

  • Nurturing entrepreneurs

    Carolina entrepreneurs and innovators are helping to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.

  • Student startup pitched business to world leaders at the United Nations headquarters

    Current Carolina students Eliza Harrison, Lucy Best and Emily Kian will pitch their startup company to world leaders at the United Nations headquarters this weekend.