Founder directory
North Carolina startup resource centers, in one place.
North Carolina has one of the strongest small business support networks in the country. These are the organizations we point founders toward most often — incubators, counselors, lenders, and grant programs, all of them worth your time.
Statewide programs
NC Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC)
16 offices statewide, hosted by the UNC System
In-depth, confidential business counseling for growth-stage companies — financial modeling, government contracting, technology commercialization, and strategic planning.
NC Small Business Center Network (SBCN)
A center at each of North Carolina's 58 community colleges
The most accessible front door in the state: free seminars, one-on-one counseling, and local market knowledge in nearly every county.
NC IDEA
Statewide, based in Durham
Grants and founder programs — SEED and MICRO grants, ECOSYSTEM partner funding, and LABS for early-stage companies testing an idea.
Economic Development Partnership of NC — Business Link (BLNC)
Statewide, by phone and online
Free counselors who walk you through state registration, licensing, and the agencies you'll need to satisfy to open your doors.
Carolina Small Business Development Fund
Statewide, based in Raleigh
A CDFI lender and technical assistance provider focused on underserved and rural entrepreneurs across the state.
Regional hubs and incubators
Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship
Greensboro / Triad
One of the state's largest business incubators — flexible space, mentoring, and a dense community of Triad founders under one roof.
HQ Raleigh
Raleigh / Triangle
Coworking and community for scaling startups, with programming, investor access, and one of the deepest founder networks in the Triangle.
Innovate Carolina / Launch Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill / Orange County
UNC's innovation hub, including Launch Chapel Hill's accelerator for both university-affiliated and community founders.
NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic & Andrews Launch Accelerator
Raleigh
Student and alumni venture support, prototyping resources, and a summer accelerator for early companies.
American Underground
Durham
A long-running Durham startup hub with a strong track record supporting Black- and women-founded companies.
Ventureprise (UNC Charlotte)
Charlotte
Charlotte's university-based venture development center, including NSF I-Corps programming for technical founders.
Forge Greensboro
Greensboro
A makerspace and small-scale manufacturing community for founders building physical products.
Venture Asheville
Asheville / Western NC
Elevate mentorship, the Asheville Angels investor network, and connective tissue for the WNC founder community.
Mountain BizWorks
Western North Carolina
Lending plus hands-on business coaching for WNC entrepreneurs, with strong programming for first-time and underrepresented owners.
Thread Capital
Statewide, based in Raleigh
Loans, a lending network, and coaching for NC small businesses that don't yet fit conventional bank underwriting.
Where a business attorney fits in
Most founders work with several of these organizations at once — a counselor for the plan, an incubator for community, a CDFI for the first loan. Legal counsel sits in that same circle. When you are ready to choose an entity, put an operating agreement in place, paper a founder split, or get your ownership documents in shape for certification or a lender file, that is the work we do.
If a center referred you here, bring whatever you built with them. It makes the legal work faster, sharper, and less expensive.
Kegler Law Firm, PLLC is an independent law firm. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a part of any organization listed on this page. Listings are provided as a convenience for North Carolina founders; program details and eligibility are set by each organization.