Staff Spotlight: LaKeya Hardy
When Dr, LaKeya Hardy talks about innovation in North Carolina, her excitement is contagious. As NCInnovation’s Piedmont Hub Director, she sees firsthand how faculty research has the potential to transform communities across the state.
“Our universities are producing bold, innovative technologies with the power to strengthen North Carolina’s economy and create opportunities nationwide,” Hardy said. “Our hub’s strength is simple: world-class research with a drive to solve real-world problems.”
At its core, NCInnovation exists to move North Carolina’s most promising discoveries beyond the lab and into the marketplace. For Hardy, that mission is deeply personal. A proud alum of both University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and North Carolina A&T, she understands the challenges faculty face in translating discoveries into commercial opportunities.
“Many researchers don’t always get training in tech transfer or commercialization,” she explained. “My focus is on closing those gaps: through workshops, partnerships, and hands-on support that make the road to commercialization clearer and less intimidating.”
Hardy brings more than 15 years of experience to her role. She began her career as a biomedical researcher, studying food allergy prevention at UNC-Chapel Hill. From there, she moved into program leadership at UNC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), managing training programs, securing competitive grant funding, and supporting research networks across the Mid-Atlantic.
“Joining NCInnovation allows me to bring all of that experience together: supporting researchers, securing resources, and helping ideas move from the lab to the marketplace,” she said.
Today, Hardy’s hub partners with Winston-Salem State, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T, North Carolina Central, UNC, and North Carolina State. Each university, she notes, adds unique strengths, from nurturing early-stage concepts to producing patents and spinouts.
“What excites me most is learning from brilliant faculty and helping them translate research into opportunities that benefit all North Carolinians,” Hardy said. “By working closely with university tech transfer teams, we can tailor support to each campus and connect faculty and students with the right partners to move their discoveries forward.”
Hardy is also quick to point out that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. Local organizations like the Nussbaum Center, SBTDC, and 2nd F play a critical role in the Piedmont ecosystem.
“These partners provide training, funding, and affordable workspace that help small businesses not just launch, but thrive,” she said. “By partnering with groups like these, we’re creating more than patents and startups — we’re building pipelines to jobs and economic growth.”
When asked about her long-term vision, Hardy is clear: she wants every university in the Piedmont and across NCInnovation’s statewide network, to consistently produce patents, partnerships, and startups that stay and grow in North Carolina.
“That means breaking down stigmas around commercialization, finding and supporting faculty who want to do this work, and creating a culture where innovation naturally leads to impact,” she said. “By offering customized services, consulting, and resources, we help move research forward at every stage. This strengthens individual campuses and advances NCInnovation’s larger mission: turning research into statewide economic growth.”
