North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

What North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University does

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) is a public, land-grant, doctoral higher research university founded in 1891 in Greensboro, North Carolina, operating within the University of North Carolina System. It is the largest historically Black college or university (HBCU) in the United States per the U.S. Department of Education for the past decade, serving approximately 13,885 students across nine colleges and schools, including the College of Engineering, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, and the Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics. NC A&T's core product is higher education delivery — undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs — augmented by a growing portfolio of specialized research centers (Centers of Excellence in Cybersecurity, Product Design and Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Research and Technology, Aviation Safety, Bioenergy, and Trustworthy AI, plus a Climate Resilience Center). Recent product launches include the Smart Intersection Test Facility (March 2026), an outdoor LiDAR-, radar-, and DSRC-equipped living lab for connected and autonomous vehicle research with the City of Greensboro and N.C. DOT, and an approved Ph.D. in Bioengineering (June 2026).

The university's underlying technology stack spans cloud computing platforms for genomics data science training (NIH-funded educational hub), LiDAR/radar/DSRC sensor arrays streaming real-time data to connected vehicle infrastructure, joint nanoscience/nanoengineering research facilities, and applied AI/ML pipelines for atmospheric and climate modeling. Proprietary assets include the Harold L. Martin Engineering Research and Innovation Complex housing the Smart Intersection Test Facility, and an extensive federal research apparatus. Its business model rests on three revenue pillars: (1) state appropriations and tuition as a UNC System public university (in-state and out-of-state tuition, financial aid, and scholarships); (2) recurring federal research grants from USDA NIFA, NIH, DoD, NSF, IMLS, and NTIA (capacity-building, project, and equipment awards); and (3) corporate partnerships (Google $5M HBCU STEM grant, Merck biomedical research, E.l.f. Beauty diversity research, Paciolan athletics technology, and the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation). The institution is actively pursuing R1 Carnegie Classification under Chancellor James R. Martin II and a newly appointed provost, with six senior leaders recently added to support the transition.

NC A&T serves multiple customer segments. Its primary "buyer" personas are prospective undergraduate and graduate students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. Secondary segments include federal research agencies (USDA, NIH, DoD, NSF) that fund research initiatives, corporate partners seeking diverse talent and research collaboration, and community partners like Cone Health addressing health equity. Distribution is hybrid: traditional on-campus enrollment via admissions marketing, campus visits, and high school outreach; A&T Online for remote learners; cooperative extension for agricultural outreach; and strategic co-development partnerships with state agencies. Recent ranking recognitions include Top 25 America's Most Innovative Universities (U.S. News 2024), Best College HBCU, America's Most Affordable Doctoral University (Money 2024), and Best College rankings for Computer Science, Nursing, and Social Mobility.

Name

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Legal name

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Website

https://ncat.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

North Carolina A&T is a public, land-grant HBCU founded in 1891 in Greensboro, NC, serving 13,885 students across nine colleges. It is the nation's largest HBCU and a leading producer of African American engineering graduates, pursuing R1 research status with federal grant-funded research centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Land-Grant Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Research Universities with Comprehensive Graduate & Professional Schools (EDAHAAAF), STEM-Focused Public Research Universities (EDAHAAAE)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Academic degree programs
• Stem research
• Engineering education
• Agricultural sciences

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Federal Research Grants: USDA NIFA capacity building grants supporting 68 projects across 1890 historically black Land-grant Universities focusing on agricultural research, education, and extension activities.
2. NIH Research Funding: National Institutes of Health grants for genomics educational hub and biomedical research including protein kinases and cellular signaling projects.
3. Department of Defense Funding: DoD Center of Excellence funding for biotechnology and materials science research, developing detection and monitoring technology for chemical and biological threat agents.
4. Corporate Grants: Google $5 million grant for scholarships, career readiness, mentorship, and technological infrastructure as part of broader $50 million HBCU STEM initiative.
5. Clean Energy Research Grants: Federal grants for creating high-paying clean energy jobs for students through research and workforce development programs.
6. AI Literacy Grants: Institute of Museum and Library Services funding for AI education and workforce training initiatives as part of national AI literacy programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a public land-grant doctoral research university that delivers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs across nine colleges including Engineering, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Business and Economics, Health and Human Sciences, and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. The university conducts federally funded research in biotechnology, genomics, connected vehicles, clean energy, AI, and cybersecurity, and operates specialized research centers and facilities including the Smart Intersection Test Facility, DoD Center of Excellence in Biotechnology and Materials Science, and NIH Genomics Educational Hub. Academic programs are delivered both on-campus and through A&T Online.

Product overview

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is a land-grant, doctoral research university with a national reputation in STEM education. The university's product portfolio consists of academic degree programs across multiple colleges (Engineering, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Business and Economics, Health and Human Sciences, Education, Science and Technology, and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering) and specialized research centers (including Centers of Excellence in Cybersecurity, Product Design and Advanced Manufacturing, Energy Research and Technology, Aviation Safety, Bioenergy, and Climate Resilience). The institution is pursuing R1 research university status and offers Ph.D. programs in Bioengineering, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Applied Science and Technology, and various other doctoral programs, alongside undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aggies: Athletics and spirit brand for North Carolina A&T sports teams
• Aggieland

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Four-year bachelor's degree programs across STEM, business, education, health sciences, agriculture and environmental sciences, arts and humanities, and nanoscience, including ABET-accredited engineering programs and AACSB-accredited business programs for high school graduates and transfer students.
• Graduate Degree Programs (Master's and Doctoral) Master's and doctoral degree programs across multiple disciplines including engineering, agriculture, business, health sciences, nanoscience, and education, offered through the Graduate College for students pursuing advanced research and professional training.
• A&T Online Online education platform offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs for remote students, providing flexible access to NC A&T academic programs through distance learning.
• Ph.D. in Bioengineering Newly approved doctoral program in bioengineering offered through the College of Engineering, expanding NC A&T's research doctorate offerings and supporting its pursuit of R1 research classification.
• Smart Intersection Test Facility Outdoor research test facility equipped with LiDAR, radar, and dedicated short-range communication devices that stream real-time data to connected vehicles and infrastructure systems, providing a living laboratory for traffic monitoring, safety analytics, autonomous navigation, and adaptive traffic control research under real-world conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• No. 1 largest HBCU for the past decade
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• PaciolancoreTechnology or Integration · 8 June 2026Multi-year partnership with Paciolan, a Learfield company, to implement mobile ticketing and email marketing solutions for Aggies Athletics. Enables fans to purchase tickets, receive them via text, and scan for event entry using NFC contactless technology.
• National Advanced School of Public Works, CameroonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Fulbright award recipient Professor Laquanda Johnson developing international research partnerships with faculty and students in Yaoundé.
• Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Founding member of national coalition of 15 HBCUs to accelerate research excellence and increase number of HBCUs achieving R1 Carnegie Classification. Co-located with Association of American Universities with $1 million grant support.
• Forge GreensborocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Partnership with Forge Greensboro to expand student access to innovation and experiential learning resources. Collaboration provides hands-on experience in prototyping, digital fabrication, and entrepreneurship through shared facilities and programs.
• City of GreensborocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026Partnership to unveil Smart Intersection Test Facility at university's Harold L. Martin Engineering Research and Innovation Complex. Outdoor test site equipped with advanced sensors for connected vehicle testing and traffic safety analytics.
• North Carolina Department of TransportationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026Partnership on Smart Intersection Test Facility for transportation safety research. Collaborates on connected vehicle technologies and autonomous navigation testing.
• Association of American UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026AHRI coalition co-located with AAU to elevate HBCU leadership in addressing societal challenges and support R1 research classification pursuit.
• Cone HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026Partnership to bring healthcare facilities to East Greensboro. Cone Health owns 40% of the facilities at The Resurgent development. Three healthcare facilities expected to serve 25,000 visits annually, addressing health equity in underserved areas.
• University of RochesterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026Research collaboration as part of W. M. Keck Foundation grant for polariton chemistry research project 'Quantum Electrodynamics for Selective Transformations.'
• University Transportation Center of ExcellencecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026Statewide partnership including Elizabeth City State University and N.C. State to develop infrastructure guidelines as drone traffic increases in North Carolina.
• E.l.f. BeautycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025Partnership on Change the Board Game initiative studying gender diversity on corporate boards. Research found companies with above-mean gender diversity delivered 3.0% ROE vs -0.2% for below mean.
• MerckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2025Industry partnership for biomedical research collaboration focusing on protein kinases and cellular signaling, with aim to advance cancer research and develop new biotechnologies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Hampton University: Private HBCU in Virginia with doctoral programs in STEM, pharmacy, and engineering. Comparable in HBCU brand recognition and STEM program strength, though private governance structure differs.
• Alabama A&M University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution in Huntsville, AL with comparable focus on agriculture, engineering, and applied sciences. Similar size and federal grant funding profile.
• Howard University: Federally chartered, private HBCU research university in Washington, D.C. with comparable doctoral programs across STEM, business, and health sciences. Most direct peer given R2/R1 status pursuit, federal research funding mix, and HBCU leadership positioning.
• Tuskegee University: Private HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution in Alabama with strong engineering, agricultural, and veterinary programs. Comparable 1890 land-grant mission and federal research funding mix.
• Morgan State University: Public HBCU research university in Baltimore, MD that recently achieved R1 Carnegie Classification. Direct comparable given parallel land-grant status, doctoral portfolio expansion, and HBCU research excellence ambitions.
• Southern University and A&M College: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant system flagship in Louisiana. Comparable land-grant status, agricultural and engineering programs, and federal research grant dependence.
• Prairie View A&M University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution in Texas within the Texas A&M System. Comparable land-grant mission, STEM focus, engineering programs, and USDA capacity grant funding structure.
• Florida A&M University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution in Tallahassee, FL. Comparable size and mission with strong STEM, pharmacy, and agricultural programs, and similar federal grant dependence for research.
• Tennessee State University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution in Nashville, TN. Comparable Carnegie classification trajectory, federal research grant mix, and STEM-focused land-grant mission.

Regional players

• North Carolina Central University: Public HBCU in Durham, NC also within the UNC System. Regional peer sharing state funding dynamics, though more focused on law, business, and education rather than STEM and land-grant research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ncatsuaggies
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ncatsuaggies
• Facebookfacebook.com/262257370546
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncatsuaggies
• Instagraminstagram.com/ncatsuaggies/?hl=en

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds16 records

Investors12 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University