2025: A Year in Review

Just like that, 2025 has come to a close. But what a great year it has been for entrepreneurship at NC State.

Steve Markham, executive director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, shared five exciting achievements for the program and its partners this year.

2025 was a year of great change, but in the midst of it, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at NC State made great strides. The VenturePack Challenge competition continues to expand and attract exciting entrepreneurs and opportunities. Our Plant Science partnership is growing, as is the new entrepreneurship minor open to all students. Both the graduate and engineering entrepreneurship programs are adding new sections.  

The Entrepreneurship Clinic, the Social and Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship program and the Wolfpack Investor Network are also making great strides. Stay tuned for more good news as we kick off the Passport Program and strengthen our on-campus and community ties.  It is a good time to be in the Wolfpack!
– Steve Markham

VenturePack Challenge

In April, teams pitched their businesses to an audience of 150+ people. With a total of $122,000 awarded, the event was a huge success. $52,000 was awarded across multiple student teams. The event also featured the Daughtery track, which is open to officially registered startup companies that have licensed NC State intellectual property in the past three years, and awarded $70,000 to five teams this year. After the ceremony, guests could explore the showcase, which featured a variety of entrepreneurs in the Wolfpack community.

N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative Partnership

We are excited to be partners with the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative (PSI). This year, PSI hosted its inaugural Seed2Grow competition, which was a wild success, awarding $28,000 to students and researchers. 

The Social and Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SSIE) program partnered with PSI to launch the Growing Agriculture Technology Entrepreneurship (GATE) program, which was also successful, with multiple teams winning at the Seed2Grow competition.

Business Entrepreneurship Minor

The business entrepreneurship minor offered through Poole College of Management has been growing, with two sections of both introductory courses (MIE 209 and MIE 309) being taught each semester. It is exciting to see students from across campus explore an interest in entrepreneurship.

Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization

Our graduate student program has grown over the last year, adding an additional cohort led by Scott Bolin. Bolin is an alumnus of the Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (TEC) program and has returned to share his expertise. The program now offers a Due Diligence class being taught by Lisa Chang.

Engineering Entrepreneurs Program

The Engineering Entrepreneurs Program (EEP) has also seen exceptional growth over the last year. The program has expanded to include an additional cohort, enabling two new sections.