NCInnovation Pipeline Program Launches at UNC Asheville, Marking First Awards Issued in UNC System
NCInnovation announced that the NCInnovation Pipeline Program is officially underway at UNC Asheville, making it the first institution in the UNC System to successfully launch the program and issue Pipeline awards to faculty.
The Pipeline Program is designed to help university faculty in early stages of translating research and creative activity into innovations with commercial potential by providing structured support, entrepreneurial education, and seed funding. UNC Asheville’s launch represents a milestone in NCInnovation’s statewide rollout, demonstrating how institutions of varying size and mission can activate the program quickly and effectively.
“This is exactly how the Pipeline Program was designed to work,” said Michelle Bolas, Acting President and CEO. “UNC Asheville moved quickly, engaged faculty across disciplines, and built a clear, faculty-centered process that shows how accessible this program can be when institutions lean in.”
UNC Asheville is implementing the Pipeline Program through a streamlined, collaborative approach that engages academic leadership, deans, and faculty early in the process. The university developed an application model that emphasizes intellectual property education, entrepreneurial skill-building, and practical milestones—ensuring faculty are prepared not only to explore commercialization, but to advance confidently toward future funding opportunities.
“UNC Asheville is proud to be the first university in North Carolina to successfully launch the NCI Pipeline program for faculty. This achievement highlights the strength of our applied research and the dedication of our faculty to advancing innovation that serves the public good. The NCI Pipeline provides vital support to help move promising discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace—driving job creation and economic growth across North Carolina. We are pleased to share this mission with NC Innovation and to help position our state as a leader in research commercialization, said Kimberly van Noort, Chancellor, UNC Asheville.
As part of the program, participating faculty receive structured training and support, along with faculty stipends tied to completion of key program components. The Pipeline Program is technology-agnostic, welcoming projects from across disciplines—including the sciences, arts, humanities, and creative practice—reflecting UNC Asheville’s liberal arts foundation while strengthening pathways to real-world impact.
“Even though this program has just begun, it has already sparked faculty creativity and generated new interdisciplinary collaborations across campus. I have been amazed by the projects I have gotten to learn about as we have developed this program, and it’s exciting to imagine what is possible for these projects with funding support,” said Amanda Wolfe, NCInnovation faculty liaison for UNC Asheville Pipeline Award Recipients.
Faculty who complete the Pipeline Program are positioned to advance into NCInnovation’s open Request for Proposals (RFP) process, where they may pursue larger-scale funding to further develop and commercialize their innovations. This creates a clear, end-to-end pathway—from early exploration to market readiness—within North Carolina’s public university system.
“The NCI pipeline program is a unique opportunity for our campus and I am excited that our faculty will be able to work on their pipeline projects in the coming months. UNC Asheville faculty are known for our focus on students and mentoring undergraduate students in research — where students put their classroom knowledge to use solving cutting-edge problems and build critical skills for their careers after graduation like communication, teamwork, project management, leadership and decision making. What is unique about the NCI pipeline program is that it enables our faculty to take their research accomplishments to the next level and develop intellectual property. And the program supports innovation across a wide variety of fields,” said Sally Wasileski, Dean of Natural and Human Sciences, UNC Asheville.
UNC Asheville’s early launch also underscores the broader statewide significance of the Pipeline Program: institutions that engage quickly are able to accelerate opportunities for their faculty while contributing to a stronger, more inclusive innovation ecosystem across North Carolina.
The UNC Asheville NCInnovation Pipeline award winners will be announced after January 30.
NCInnovation will continue rolling out the Pipeline Program across additional UNC System institutions in the coming months.
