Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NC IDEA FOUNDATION Awards $220,000 to Twenty-Two North Carolina Startups

Most MICRO Grant Recipients Awarded in a Cycle; NC IDEA SEED Finalists Also Announced

DURHAM, NC – October 25, 2021 – NC IDEA, a private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, announced today that the organization has awarded $220,000 to twenty-two North Carolina startups in its seventh NC IDEA MICRO grant cycle. Since the inaugural cycle in Spring 2018, NC IDEA MICRO has awarded nearly $1.2 million to 118 young companies across the state.

Through small, project-based grants, NC IDEA MICRO awards $10,000 in funding to young companies looking to validate and advance their idea. The program piloted in Spring 2018, was created as an expansion of the Foundation’s long-standing SEED grant program to provide funding to younger, promising startups not yet positioned for the Foundation’s traditional $50,000 grants.

“With such a strong group of applicants, this is the most grant recipients we have awarded in one cycle,” said Thom Ruhe, President and CEO of NC IDEA. “This cycle drew a record number of applications, particularly from our rural communities. We are seeing a clear need from all parts of the state for funding and support to help these companies grow,” Ruhe added.

These twenty-two NC IDEA MICRO grant recipients were chosen after a three-month competitive application and selection process that drew a record number of applications from across the state:

• 828 Labs LLC – Candler, NC
• Armada IQ – Charlotte, NC
• BattleBuggies To Go LLC – Fayetteville, NC
• Bristles, LLC – Durham, NC
• Content Commanders – Elizabeth City, NC
• Edison Marks – Weaverville, NC
• Flow Phantom (Bloodworth Ventures, LLC.) – Raleigh, NC
• Fun Mom Band – Durham, NC
• Home For Life Design – Salisbury, NC
• iEDAPTS LLC – Charlotte, NC
• Jabin Beverage Co – Raleigh, NC
• Mycologics LLC – Alexandria, NC
• MyMatR – Raleigh, NC
• No Mess SPF – Charlotte, NC
• Padeo – Raleigh, NC
• Sure! – Greenville, NC