NC East Alliance

Community and Regional Development (CRD) takes an innovative approach to program development that focuses on building a comprehensive menu of products and services that fosters strong regional partnerships around community and economic development priorities and projects. CRD programs include the Municipal Management and Innovation initiative, the Talent Enhancement and Capacity Building program and the Rural Community Consortium.

The Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) has helped North Carolina businesses grow and create new jobs since 1984. We provide management counseling and educational services to small and mid-sized businesses.

The Innovation Design Lab (IDL) is a collaborative venue for leading edge research and design-driven innovation. A best-in-class facility, the IDL was one of three national finalists in the category of Community Connected Campus Awards of Excellence by the University Economic Development Association.

The Middle School Innovators Academy, the Innovators Design Academy, and the Global Innovation Workshop demonstrate the culture of innovation that ECU is creating on campus and in the community. Through these academies, ECU teaches participants, particularly the younger students, that it values innovation, creative thinking and risk-taking and realizes the integral role of design in successful innovation for economic growth.

The Greenville SEED @ ECU is a business incubator providing flexible space and support on a fee basis to qualified entrepreneurs and start-up companies. Programs exist for students (college and high school), start-up companies, and emerging technology businesses. Office space is designed to encourage collaboration and networking. The Greenville SEED @ ECU provides space, mentoring, technical support, access to 3D printing for rapid prototyping (subject to review, training, and availability), and networking events. Facilities include: turn-key offices; co-working space; large conference room; large auditorium; idea room; and entrepreneurs’ lounge. The Greenville SEED @ ECU collaboration space is a project of City of Greenville, ECU, and Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce.

As a component unit of Pitt County government, the Pitt County Development Commission recruits new industry and supports existing industry in Pitt County. Its mission is to promote job growth, diversify the County’s economy, and expand the local tax base. The Commission maintains a website which includes extensive information on doing business in Pitt County including a free listing of available industrial and major office buildings and sites. To help fulfill its mission, the Commission works closely with many partners including the North Carolina Department of Commerce, local municipalities and Chambers of Commerce, East Carolina University, Pitt Community College, and Vidant Health.

The department writes grant applications, and administers the resulting grants including public works projects, hazard mitigations, public facilities development, CDBG/ED direct loans to companies that result in job creation and Rural Center economic development grants.

Established in 2012, SpringBoardNC was created to foster and support entrepreneurship in the I-95 / Hwy 64 Region of Eastern North Carolina, by serving as a resource hub to individuals looking to start or grow their business

Our mission is to develop, promote and implement sound economic strategies to improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians. We serve the state’s 80 rural counties, with a special focus on individuals with low to moderate incomes and communities with limited resources.

The N.C. Small Business Credit Initiative is helping make capital available for business startups and expansions across the state.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has delivered millions of loans, loan guarantees, contracts, counseling sessions and other forms of assistance to small businesses.

The state of North Carolina is home to more than 800,000 small businesses and Commerce is strongly committed to their success. Commerce serves as a one-stop resource for small businesses and start-up companies with big ideas. Many partners and allies support Commerce’s work in assisting North Carolina’s small businesses, but Commerce provides a centralized point of contact to assist them. Services include planning and feasibility assessment, licensing, individualized research-based products around change management, strategic performance and leadership development; help accessing and acquiring government contracts; and assistance in commercializing new technologies and accessing innovation research. Through marketing and outreach activities, Commerce reaches small business owners and those considering a start-up to offer services and support designed to ensure these businesses are afforded the best opportunity to Thrive in North Carolina.

IMAF-RTP is one of the Inception Micro Angel Funds and is a member-managed seed stage angel capital fund designed to capitalize on the growth in entrepreneurial activity and venture financing, primarily in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina, greater North Carolina and in selective areas of Virginia and South Carolina.

Business Link North Carolina (BLNC) is a free resource for anyone seeking to start a small business in the state. We offer one-on-one phone consultations to hundreds of individuals interested in establishing a business start-up, small business owners in need of general support, and small-business entrepreneurs interested in moving to North Carolina. Our team of business counselors offers straightforward, easy-to-understand guidance in both English and Spanish on topics including regulatory requirements, licensing stipulations, small-business training and more.

Thorough resource for the early stages of starting a business in NC. BLNC provides checklists and links to statewide services for entrepreneurs including help writing business plans, licensing, help determining business structures, financing options and taxes, among others.

NCBC connects the company and university researchers; the funders and the small companies; the job seekers and job providers. We provide funding when few others do. We keep an eye on emerging biotech sectors. And we make sure North Carolina leads the way.

Mark Phillips is responsible for directing and promoting biotechnology-related growth and development activities for the Biotechnology Center’s Eastern Office in Greenville. Phillips serves as the regions’ contact to the Biotechnology Center’s grant and loan funding programs, while working with companies, schools and institutions throughout a 27-county region to strengthen biotechnology research, business, education and workforce training, and to identify new opportunities for commercial biotechnology

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center understands the importance of emerging entrepreneurial companies to the state’s biotechnology industry. Through the Business and Technology Development Program, the Center awards low-interest loans to promising emerging life science companies across the state. These loans are designed to help recipients meet meaningful research and commercial milestones.

NCBiotech research grant programs are designed to encourage innovation, support university infrastructure and help move technology toward commercialization. In addition, our grants fill in some critical funding gaps, stages where it is typically difficult to find funding.

We’re well known for making connections that create biotech jobs statewide. But we also offer two popular funding programs to make sure people with big ideas mix and mingle.

Our event sponsorships, for example, provide up to $3,000 to help bring biotech people together within North Carolina.

Meanwhile, our meeting grants provide non-profits up to $10,000 to help them bring major life science meetings to the state. Bringing in thought leaders from across the U.S. and around the globe puts a great spotlight on North Carolina and its life science leadership.