Funding the Future: UNC Startup Investment Programs

As faculty and students at UNC-Chapel Hill launch an increasing number of high-potential startups, how can they get the funding they need to develop their ventures? What resources are available to fill the early funding gap they face?

Get an update from two UNC investor programs that provide critical early stage investments to UNC-affiliated startups. Learn how these programs are helping Carolina innovators bring valuable ideas to market to improve how we work and live.

Carolina Angel Network (CAN) brings together the UNC entrepreneurial community and the UNC alumni network to empower new businesses that drive our future. It supports the UNC startup community with funding and advice from experienced alumni who are members of the network. Launched in 2016, CAN has gained 181 members, invested almost $5 million in 12 company deals and already notched one exit. Randy Myer, managing director of the Carolina Angel Network and professor at the Kenan-Flagler Business School, will share the latest news on CAN’s rapidly growing membership base and portfolio of companies.

Learn details that are important for CAN’s angel investors and entrepreneurs who seek funding.

• What are the membership and investment criteria?
• What resources can members tap into that help them become more informed angel investors?
• How does the screening committee and due diligence process benefit CAN members and entrepreneurs?
• How are CAN members matched to the companies they want to invest in?
• What characteristics does CAN look for when deciding to fund a company?

The Carolina Research Ventures Fund (CRVF) helps unlock the potential of young UNC-affiliated, IP-based companies by providing early capital that can help get their products into the hands of businesses and consumers. CRVF invests in ventures that commercialize or develop technology and inventions of UNC faculty, trainees and staff. The fund was started with an initial pool of $10 million in 2016 and is managed by Hatteras Venture Partners. There have been six investments in UNC startups that have raised more than $350 million in funding. The fund has had two successful company exits to date. Hear from Michael Dial, managing director of CRVF, to get updates on the fund, its company portfolio and details on how innovators at Carolina can get involved.

• Who should apply?
• What types of ventures qualify?
• Which industry areas does CRVF fund?
• What’s the application process?
• What size investments are possible?