NC IDEA MICRO is sponsored by NC IDEA. NC IDEA MICRO provides small, project-based grants to early-stage North Carolina-based startups with innovative products or business models.

This program aims to help entrepreneurs validate assumptions about their business and develop a business model, with a focus on high-ambition startups and founders outside of traditional software and hardware, particularly in North Carolina's rural and economically distressed counties.

Validating Innovative Startups You launched a startup. Our MICRO grant provides a small amount of funding to entrepreneurs who are testing assumptions about their business. Through small, project-based grants, NC IDEA MICRO awards $10K in funding to startups actively moving their companies forward by validating assumptions and developing a business model.

We have found that funding, paired with mentorship and guidance, early in a company’s lifecycle, can make a significant impact on future success.

Watch our Spring 2026 Grants Webinar View the Spring 2026 MICRO Application View the MICRO and SEED Comparison of Eligibility Chart Read Our FAQs for More Info Winston-Salem/Triad Info Session Grant Application Deadline Micro Finalist Interviews Micro Grant Recepients Selected The NC IDEA MICRO evaluation process is rigorous and extremely competitive. See a comparison of eligibil ity criteria between NC IDEA MICRO and NC IDEA SEED.

**Note: You may only apply to either MICRO or SEED (not both) during a grant cycle. ** Companies must meet the following criteria in order to be considered for an NC IDEA MICRO grant. **Note: You may only apply to either MICRO or SEED (not both) during a grant cycle.

** Industry and Company Type NC IDEA MICRO grants are awarded to companies bringing an innovative product or business model to the market. We prefer companies with proprietary intellectual property or other means of sustained competitive advantage that are solving large problems. Companies with high capital requirements and a long runway to commercialization, such as pharmaceutical companies, are not eligible.

For a full list of company types considered out of scope for grant funding, please refer to this document . NC IDEA MICRO grants are awarded to companies addressing large, rapidly growing market opportunities with a unique value proposition and demonstrating a clear path to scale—either through venture capital within four years or by achieving $2M+ in annual revenue within seven years with potential to exceed $10M+.

Competitive applicants have already been actively moving their startup forward by conducting customer discovery, developing initial prototypes, testing a product/service, bringing in initial revenue, or other activities.

The grant will enable these companies to validate key assumption(s) around the existence of a problem, revenue model, size of their target market, market readiness, team skill set, or other area(s) to determine a company’s ability to catalyze its business development. Competitive applicants are on a path to generate revenue within 12 months of receiving a MICRO grant.

However, many MICRO grant recipients have initial revenue when they apply (see below).

MICRO Grant Recipients: Last 12 Months Revenue at Time of Application Cleantech, Biotech, Medical Device & Diagnostics Consumer Products – Food and Beverage Consumer Products – Advanced Manufacturing, Advanced Materials, IoT Consumer Products – All Other Applicants must have at least one founder living in North Carolina, and it is preferred that all founders live in NC.

Competitive applicants should have a founder who will be full-time within 6-12 months of applying for the grant. NC IDEA defines a full-time founder as one who works 40+ hours a week on their startup and does not spend more than 15 hours a week, either 1) working at another company; 2) working at a different startup run by the founder(s); or 3) on school-related activities (including class time and homework).

Our funding is intended to help early stage companies accomplish specific milestones that demonstrate to investors and other funding sources that the company has high growth potential. Therefore, companies that have received greater than $250K in equity investment or over $1M in non-dilutive grant funding at the time of applying are less likely to be considered.

Founder contributions and “friends and family” equity funding is viewed differently and will not negatively impact consideration. Since MICRO competitive companies are at the stage of validating assumptions about their business and developing a business model, few MICRO grant recipients have prior equity investment (15% for 2022-2025).

For MICRO applicants that have raised equity investment, competitive applicants will detail how past funding was used and how MICRO can still be impactful on the business. Since NC IDEA has two MICRO grant cycles every year, NC IDEA and its reviewers assess the timing and impact for each company to receive $10K and participate in programming during a specific grant cycle.

Competitive applicants will clearly describe how MICRO funds will be used to achieve measurable milestones during the grant period to validate key assumptions about the company’s business, such as revenue model, market readiness, customer profile, and sales.

The goal of MICRO is for a startup to move its business forward to be competitive for SEED within 2 years; or to secure growth through other channels, such as revenue, debt, or equity investment. NC IDEA solicits MICRO grant applications twice per year, usually in February and August. We typically receive 150-200 applications each grant cycle.

Applications from eligible companies are reviewed by the NC IDEA team, investors and other partners in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Companies are notified of their status and eligible companies receive specific feedback on their application. From each applicant pool, approximately 25-30 companies are selected to progress to the finalist phase.

Finalists are invited to participate in a virtual interview. Ultimately, 15 companies are selected and awarded an NC IDEA MICRO grant. View the MICRO application and review specific dates and deadlines in the tab below.

**Note: You may only apply to either MICRO or SEED (not both) during a grant cycle. ** NC IDEA MICRO couples $10K in funding with an eight-week program to accelerate your company’s progress. MICRO grant recipients engage in the following process over six months from the time of award: Each company works directly with NC IDEA staff to implement a six-month timeline of meaningful milestones and an impactful use of grant funds.

The grant agreement is signed and the company receives 75% of their grant funds. Companies participate in an eight-week customer discovery and product launch program. Customer discovery is focused on clearly identifying the early customers, their pain point, reaching them, and their solution.

Product launch will include fundraising strategies, marketing, and meeting with 15+ mentors who can provide advice and/or connections. The program will require 3 hours per week of seminar participation, plus additional time to talk to potential customers. Companies schedule check-ins with NC IDEA staff or volunteer mentors, throughout programming.

Two months after a company’s grant agreement is signed, the remaining 25% of the grant will be distributed to the company. Companies will make a final presentation to NC IDEA staff, mentors, and other companies in the cohort, about six months after the end of the customer discovery and product launch program.

During the grant period, and continuing once companies become MICRO alumni, grant recipients can take advantage of: Opportunities to participate in monthly seminars and workshops on topics such as marketing, sales and meeting with fellow founders Introductions to potential partners, mentors, advisors, funders and customers July 14 – Fall 2026 Grants Information Webinar TBD – Triangle Info Session TBD – Charlotte Info Session TBD – Winston-Salem/Triad Info Session TBD – Asheville Info Session TBD – Wilmington Info Session July 27 – NC IDEA MICRO Grant Application Opens – View MICRO Application (Spring ’26) August 24 – NC IDEA MICRO Grant Application Deadline *All applications must be submitted and received by 5:00 pm EST – No Exceptions* September 25 – NC IDEA MICRO Grant Finalists Selected and Notified October 5-14 – NC IDEA MICRO Grant Finalist Interviews October 20 – NC IDEA MICRO Grant Recipients Selected and Notified **Note: You may only apply to either MICRO or SEED (not both) during a grant cycle.

** FALL 2025 GRANT RECIPIENTS Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. Layout Affiliation Company/Organization Company/Organization Affiliation