Michelle Bolas steps down as executive director for Innovate Carolina and chief innovation officer

Dear Carolina Community,

I am writing to share that Michelle Bolas, executive director for Innovate Carolina and chief innovation officer, has been named senior vice president for university partnerships and chief innovation officer at NCInnovation, a public-private partnership with a vision to accelerate the commercialization of university research across North Carolina. Michelle has made significant contributions to shape Innovate Carolina over the past 12 years, and we plan to continue to work with her in her new role in advancing innovation that benefits the people of North Carolina and beyond.

I am grateful to Jackie Quay, director of licensing and innovation support in the Office of Technology Commercialization, who will serve as interim executive director for Innovate Carolina beginning in mid-January. Early next year, we will also appoint a faculty member to provide expertise on a short-term basis and plan to launch a search for a permanent leader later in 2023.

With Michelle’s help, we have expanded the excellence of Carolina’s programs for technology commercialization, venture creation and startup support while advancing our ability to move emerging research to market. These efforts include building a new innovation hub in downtown Chapel Hill that will bring together researchers and entrepreneurs in a collaborative space when it opens next year.

Michelle also led Carolina’s Innovation Roadmap, a strategic plan that aims to help solve society’s most pressing challenges by increasing the volume and accelerating the pace of new ideas stemming from the University. In 2019, she helped Carolina achieve its first designation as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity Institution by the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.

The team’s fiscal year 2022 achievements are impressive, including working with researchers on 140 invention disclosures, the submission of 80 new patent applications and the awarding of 58 issued U.S. patents and 70 technology licenses. Company earnings for Carolina-associated startups topped $281 million. Innovation is a critical part of Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good, the University’s strategic plan, and I have full confidence that the Innovate Carolina team will continue to build on its recent success.

Please join me in thanking Michelle for her leadership at Carolina and for helping to build an environment where innovation thrives; and we also thank Jackie for helping us keep momentum in this very important area.

Sincerely,

Kevin M. Guskiewicz
Chancellor