DURHAM, NC – November 12, 2021 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has awarded over $1.1 million in grants during the organization’s 2021 Ecosystem Summit, coinciding with this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week. Nine NC IDEA SEED grants and fifteen Regional Impact Grants have been awarded to partners and companies across the state.

“Today we announced the most ever (nine) SEED grants awarded in one cycle, along with fifteen new partnerships,  under the auspice of our ECOSYSTEM Partner Program, intended to further strengthen the infrastructure supporting North Carolina entrepreneurs,” said Thom Ruhe, CEO and President of NC IDEA. “We are empowering entrepreneurs to reach their full potential by funding them directly and working in partnership with others that support their efforts when they need it most. These awards are yet another direct investment in the equitable startup ecosystems of North Carolina that so many people depend upon. It is a fitting way to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week,” Ruhe concluded.

The Regional Impact Grants under the umbrella of NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM, were made available to existing NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM and NC IDEA ENGAGE partners to serve as the lead grantee. The solicitation required at least two organizations to collaborate on a program supporting entrepreneurs building scalable businesses, focusing on a specific region of their choosing. This particular grant program intends to strengthen the infrastructure supporting North Carolina entrepreneurs via collaboration and the sharing of resources and networks. Several of the partnerships focused on elevating Black entrepreneurship were funded under the leadership of the North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council (NC BEC).

Boundless Impact's ImagineHub learning network of missional innovation centers is one of 4 grant recipients in the western NC region. ImagineHub will collaborate with the Western NC Community College’s Small Business Network to expand Cultural Entrepreneur Mindset workshops and programs, as new ImagineHub sites launch in western NC.