Staff Spotlight: Louis Judge
As NCInnovation’s Regional Innovation Network Director for the Piedmont Region, Louis Judge sees every conversation, collaboration, and connection as a spark—one that can ignite economic growth and global impact for North Carolina.
“My life’s goal is to make the world a better place than I found it,” he said. “In this role, I’m positioned to do just that. Every day, I get to promote innovation, improvement, and positive change through economic impact.”
Innovation has been part of Louis’ story since his earliest days. As a college student at North Carolina A&T State University, he took what was supposed to be a simple summer job in a research lab— collecting safety data for nuclear plants across the state— and found his calling. “What started as a way to make summer money quickly turned into a lifelong passion for helping people solve real-world problems,” he said.
That spark led him to pursue undergraduate research and entrepreneurship courses at A&T. After graduation, he helped launch an Entrepreneurship Innovation Apprenticeship Program in partnership with NASA and the National Technology Transfer Center, where he learned firsthand how to take research from the lab to the marketplace.
“Those early experiences taught me what innovation really means—turning great ideas into solutions that impact the world,” he said. “That’s exactly what NCInnovation stands for.”
Today, his work in the Piedmont Hub— which covers the Triad and Triangle regions—brings those lessons full circle. The hub connects six universities: North Carolina A&T, Winston-Salem State, North Carolina Central, UNC Greensboro, NC State, and UNC-Chapel Hill.
Each campus contributes something unique— from advanced engineering and computing research to cutting-edge materials science, medical technology, and agricultural innovation. “Our strength lies in the diversity of our ecosystem,” he said. “When you connect all of these capabilities, North Carolina becomes a powerhouse for innovation.”
Louis describes his role as one focused on “making connections to resources.” Whether helping a researcher navigate technology transfer, securing industry partnerships, or mentoring students in entrepreneurship, his goal is to make sure every promising idea has a path forward.
The Piedmont Hub’s reach is vast—and so is its potential. “Our region is home to the state’s two largest R1 universities, the nation’s top HBCU, three additional universities, and a network of community colleges,” he said. “That combination gives us incredible research capacity and the ability to meet industry needs across sectors like aviation, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, workforce development, and electric vehicles.”
He’s especially excited by the possibilities emerging in advanced materials, defense innovation, and ag tech—areas he says will define the next decade of North Carolina’s growth. “What we’re doing here is rooted in job creation through innovation,” he explained. “When we help move research from the lab to a company, jobs follow—and the economy grows.”
For Louis, the Piedmont Region isn’t just a cluster of campuses—it’s the engine of NCInnovation’s statewide mission. “Our long-term vision is for the Piedmont to be known as a global connector,” he said. “This is where people will come for solutions to worldwide problems.”
He imagines a future where innovative companies born in the region stay and scale in rural North Carolina, creating ripple effects that lift entire communities. “That’s when we’ll know we’ve succeeded—when the research happening here creates impact in all 100 counties.”
Reflecting on his journey, he smiles. “I’ve always wanted to be close to innovation—the kind that changes lives. Working for NCInnovation feels like that dream coming to life every single day.”
