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

  • Tar Heel innovators

    Carolina innovators are working to solve some of the world’s biggest problems, and students are a driving force behind that mission.

  • Carolina’s innovation cornerstone

    Operated by Innovate Carolina, the 1789 hub on Franklin Street is working to develop talent for the workforce of the future by providing a collaborative setting to help Tar Heels hone skills to be entrepreneurs and innovators.

  • #GDTBATH: Varun Jain

    Carolina junior Varun Jain is balancing his computer science schoolwork and college life while also running his own company, which is working to improve food distribution networks in India.