University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill entrepreneurship

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) has played a crucial role in developing a robust startup and VC ecosystem. The university supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem through a variety of initiatives and programs.

UNC's student startup incubator, *Launch Chapel Hill,* provides essential resources to faculty, staff, and students who aspire to be entrepreneurs. This program offers a 22-week business accelerator with access to mentorship, office space, and startup funding.

Another key initiative is *Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network (BEN),* which helps entrepreneurs in the Triangle Region of North Carolina access the resources, scalability coaching, and community they need to succeed. It was launched with a $3.63 million gift from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation.

The university boasts several successful founders and investors. One notable example is Mike Smith, a professor from UNC's School of Government who founded the online government service, GovLoop, which saw considerable success before being acquired by Granicus.

Another program, the Carolina Angel Network (CAN), directly connects startups with investors from the UNC community. CAN provides a structured approach to evaluate and invest in potential startups. They have made more than 26 investments since their inception in 2016 with a total of $5.7M invested to date.

UNC has also assisted in the success of notable tech company, Pendo. Its co-founder and CEO, Todd Olson, is an alumnus of UNC. Pendo, a product experience platform, has recently secured $100M in series E financing at a $1B valuation.

The Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC offers entrepreneurship-focused coursework and access to a robust alumni network. The business school features initiatives such as the Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club, which provides experiential learning opportunities in entrepreneurship and venture capital.

In summary, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a thriving startup and VC ecosystem, thanks to its supportive initiatives, successful alumni, and efforts to foster entrepreneurship and innovation.