About Innovate Charlotte
Innovate Charlotte has a vision to have a dynamic and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem within the Greater Charlotte Area.
Innovate Charlotte is governed by leaders in the region's business, government, and entrepreneurial community. Our mission is to connect entrepreneurial initiatives, activities, and strategic relationships to cultivate a better ecosystem for the benefit of all Charlotteans.
History
Innovate Charlotte is the execution arm of the Charlotte Regional Fund for Entrepreneurship that was launched in 2017.
Building on the seed funding received from the CRFE, the Innovate Charlotte will continue to grow its pool of resources that ensure a welcoming and thriving environment for entrepreneurs.
The Charlotte Regional Fund for Entrepreneurship
The CRFE is a charitable fund aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem, supporting increased innovation, improving development of high-growth entrepreneurs, and ultimately increasing job creation.
Founded in 2013 as a public-private initiative between the city of Charlotte and the Foundation For The Carolinas, the CRFE is a non-profit, 501c3 entity.
Innovate Charlotte Mentorship program is supported by NC IDEA FOUNDATION.
Dive Deeper
CRFE Study
Mapping the Ecosystem
An in-depth look at the Charlotte region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the programs that impact high growth entrepreneurs.
Growth Index
The Charlotte Region Entrepreneurial and Growth Index
The first systematic effort to measure Charlotte’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem and is designed to provide two specific outcomes.
Donate
Become a catalyst for entrepreneurship in the Charlotte region with a gift to the CRFE/Innovate Charlotte. Contact us to learn more or to make a tax-deductible donation, click below to donate.
Learn more about what's happening with Innovate Charlotte and how we are engaging with the startup ecosystem.
The evolution of Whystle
When Chris Wright started looking into launching a business, he had no idea what he would be doing — and certainly no clue that he would use his…
Meet the Newest INCLT VMS Cohort Members
“A mentor is someone who sees more talent and ability within you than you see in yourself and helps bring it out of you.” — Bob Proctor The path of…
Identifying the Missing Puzzle Piece of the Customer Journey
Are some people born to be entrepreneurs? After all, it takes a certain type of person to identify a need in the market and work to find the optimal…
From TikTok to table
After graduating from NC State with a degree in business administration, Guyton spent several years working in industries ranging from automotive to…
Building a big business out of nanoscopic molecules
Margaret Kocherga describes herself as an “accidental entrepreneur.” Kocherga’s background is in academic scientific research, and it was her PhD…
Conversation with Innovate Charlotte’s New Executive Director
Back in November, Innovate Charlotte got a new executive director. You’re just hearing from him now because, for the past four months, Juan Garzón…
Inside one founder’s experience with the INCLT Venture Mentoring Service
By Mary Johnson, INCLT VMS Mentee
In building my business, my business has always come last.
McKinsey provides support to INCLT mentees
The Day of Service is a company-wide initiative at McKinsey in which employees are given opportunities to make a positive impact. There are…
From hopeless to hopeful: An INCLT Pivot Story
At the beginning of the pandemic, “survive” was the word on everyone’s minds. Six months later, we now know survival isn’t enough. We must rethink…
Finding beauty in the pivot
In many ways, “pivot” has become the defining word of the pandemic. We’ve had to pivot the way we parent, the way we work, the way we learn, the way…