Sponsorship
Featured partner placement
Sponsor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill once and your brand appears on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill page and across every one of its programs and student-startup pages — not just this page.
KickStart Venture Services
Also known as: KickStart
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, North Carolina
KickStart Venture Services, founded in 2008, supports UNC research-based startup formation and growth through education, early-stage funding, and on-campus accelerator space. Part of Innovate Carolina's New Ventures and Partnerships.
Quick fit check
- No equity required
- Currently active
- Verified by research
Key numbers
Funding range
—
Equity
None
Application
Quarterly
Institution Wide
Last activity
2026-06-26
High confidence
Key Details
- Founded: 2008
- Director: Mireya McKee
- Commercialization Awards: $2M+ awarded to 60+ companies
- Award size: Up to $50K per company, quarterly application cycles
- KickStart Accelerator Laboratory: 7,500 sq ft in Genome Sciences Building (opened January 2020). Fully equipped wet labs, shared instrumentation, hot-desk seating
Services
- Learn: Customer discovery programs, startup bootcamps
- Assess: Business case creation, market landscape assessment
- Formation: Company setup guidance, Carolina Express License
- Fund: Grant writing support, SBIR/STTR assistance
- Grow: Advisory meetings, entrepreneurial mentors, incubation space
Entrepreneurs-in-Residence
- Pepper Landson, Tim Hopper, Diane Ignar
News & articles
News articles and official sources documenting KickStart Venture Services at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
1 source
KickStart Venture Services
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
KickStart Venture Services
Source: https://innovate.unc.edu/startup-accelerators-and-venture-services/kickstart-venture-services/ Captured: 2026-06-26 KickStart Venture Services — Research-Based Startup Formation Key details: Founded 2008, supports research-based startup formation Provides education, early-stage funding, accelerator space KickStart Commercialization Grant Awards: $2M+ to 60+ companies KickStart Accelerator Laboratory: 7,500 sq ft in Genome Sciences Building (opened Jan 2020) Fully equipped wet labs, shared instrumentation, hot-desk seating KickStart Awards up to $50K per company, quarterly application cycles Director: Mireya McKee Team includes: Judy Prasad (associate director), Jeff Speakman (operations manager), Entrepreneurs-in-Residence Pepper Landson, Tim Hopper, Diane Ignar
Read on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill