Modernizing Grant Management to Strengthen Innovation Across North Carolina
For NCInnovation, driving research commercialization across North Carolina means not just funding great ideas, but tracking how those ideas grow, evolve, and impact the state over time. That’s why the organization launched a new grants management system called AkoyaGO, a platform that is transforming how NCInnovation collects, manages, and reports data on its statewide innovation grants.
“AkoyaGO allows us to collect grant applications, manage grant request records, and tie that data to contacts and organizations,” said Charlotte Stowe, Grant Operations Manager. “We selected it because it aligned closely with our existing grant processes and integrated easily with our Microsoft products.”
The shift was driven by a clear need. In the past, NCInnovation’s system didn’t connect data between applicants, projects, or institutions. “If someone wanted to know whether a researcher had submitted an application before, they’d have to manually check each cycle,” said Stowe. “Now, all applications link directly back to that researcher’s record, which gives us a complete view of their history.”
Beyond efficiency, the new system creates a more transparent experience for researchers. Applicants can now view previous submissions and even correct errors without a flurry of emails. “Researchers have told us they really appreciate being able to roll back an application if they hit submit too soon or easily retrieve copies of their submissions,” said Stowe. “Those used to be small but time-consuming requests for staff — now they’re faster and easier.”
The first round of pre-applications in AkoyaGO went smoothly. The system gave the team visibility into real-time submissions, helping them resolve minor issues quickly and even send reminders to researchers who had started but not yet submitted their applications. Charlotte added, “Having that insight was a big win. It allowed us to support applicants more effectively and make sure no one was left behind.”
But the real power of AkoyaGO lies in its ability to connect data across NCInnovation’s growing ecosystem. The system can tag collaborators, link projects to universities and organizations, and feed that information into visualization tools like Power BI and Tableau. “That’s where we start to see the long-term impact,” said Stowe. “Over a decade, we’ll have hundreds of grants and countless collaborations. AkoyaGO helps us keep those long-term KPIs on our radar even as we move forward with new cycles.”
That visibility is critical to NCInnovation’s mission of bridging university research and industry innovation. By centralizing and structuring data, NCInnovation can now identify where partnerships are forming, where additional support is needed, and how investments are paying off for North Carolina’s economy.
“Ultimately, this is about using data to make better, more responsible decisions. We owe it to the state and our donors to ensure that every dollar we invest drives measurable impact — and AkoyaGO gives us the foundation to do just that.”
