Southeastern Region

Regional Overview

The Southeastern Region is home to an impressive clinical research industry cluster, strong assets for marine biotechnology commercialization, and significant industrial biotechnology opportunities, such as energy/fuel, derived from biomass production and from waste streams of industrial, agricultural, marine, and municipal processes. The Southeastern Office leads economic development efforts to strengthen and grow these biotech subsectors throughout the region.

Southeastern Region Counties: Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Hoke, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland

Benefits

The NC BIONEER Venture Challenge benefits for the selected finalists include the following:

A 2-month period of intense mentoring assistance and networking opportunities.
Public and private events to enhance our connected networks of entrepreneurs, investors, and others in the region and beyond, especially as they relate to biotech innovation and commercialization.
Targeted assistance from the NC Biotechnology Center Life Science Intelligence team--e.g., industry and market research.
UNCW CIE Tenancy: For the venture winning the top award, UNC Wilmington will offer a one year co-working tenancy at the UNCW Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. This benefit includes 24-hour card-key access for two members of the winning team to use the co-working space, meeting rooms, equipment, mail services, and media team.

A pitch challenge at the end of the assistance process, which will yield significant monetary awards, in addition to the invaluable mentoring and networking each venture will experience during the assistance phase.
Monetary Awards Totaling $40,000: Top Award, $20,000; Second and Third Awards, $10,000 each.
Promotion in the region and beyond of our impressive community of biotech innovators, entrepreneurs, and ventures.

Statewide Challenge: The winner from each of the 5 regional challenges will continue to the statewide challenge for additional mentoring assistance, NC Biotechnology Center Life Science Intelligence team support, promotion, public appearances, and monetary awards.

Mentoring, Networking, and Awards Events

Because building professional networks to strengthen our entrepreneurial ecosystem is critical to venture success, selected finalists and mentors will be expected to attend the following events:

March 3, 2022 Kickoff Celebrations – Regional (All applicants, mentors, presenters, others)
March 10, 2022 Notifications to Candidates and Selected Finalists

Regional Assistance Period: Mar–May 2022

March 17, 2022 Networking and Mentoring Session #1
April 21, 2022 Networking and Mentoring Session #2
April 25 – April 29, 2022 Pitch Coach Individual Venture Team Sessions
May 19, 2022 Networking and Mentoring Session #3
May 23, 2022 Judging Phase – Regional (Private meeting with pitches to judges)
May 24-26, 2022 Regional Venture Pitch Showcase and Winner Reveal (Public event)

The winner from each of the five regional challenges will continue to the statewide challenge for additional mentoring assistance, NC Biotechnology Center Life Science Intelligence team support, promotion, public appearance, and monetary awards.

Statewide Assistance Period: June 2022

- June, 2022 Mentor Team Meetings and Training Sessions
- June, 2022 Statewide Judging Phase (private meeting with pitches to judges)
- June, 2022 Statewide Finals Venture Pitch Showcase and Winner Reveal at Triad BioNight

Round 1 Regional Finalists

Local entrepreneurial community leaders--such as entrepreneurs, business service providers, investors, company leaders, innovators, university partners, and others--selected the following ventures as finalists for this challenge. The winner from each of the 5 regional challenges will continue to the statewide challenge for additional mentoring assistance, NC Biotechnology Center Life Science Intelligence team support, promotion, public appearances, and monetary awards.