Collaboratory

What Collaboratory does

The North Carolina Collaboratory is a state-funded research coordination center established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016 and headquartered at UNC-Chapel Hill. It functions as the primary intermediary between the academic research capacity of the 14-institution UNC System and the evidence needs of North Carolina state and local government, having received over $148 million in legislative appropriations and funded more than 300 projects to date. Originally focused on natural resource and environmental management, its mandate has expanded materially to include PFAS contamination, COVID-19 response, energy transition, K-12 education recovery, opioid abatement, HMSI research capacity, foster care, and climate-related disaster recovery.

Its core programmatic offerings are organized as competitive RFP-funded research initiatives rather than commercial products. Flagship programs include the PFAS Testing Network (statewide water and air sampling across UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, NC State, and East Carolina faculty), the NC Pure Project (ionic fluorogel PFAS removal technology developed at UNC-Chapel Hill, with $10 million allocated for three-site scale-up), the Next Generation Energy Portfolio (research on lithium batteries, small modular nuclear, hydrogen, semiconductors, and grid modeling), the Business-Academia Partnership Program (corporate-academic R&D grants), the HMSI Research Grant Program, the Flood Resilience Hub, and the K-12 Office of Learning Research. Underlying research infrastructure includes high-resolution Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometry for environmental forensics, hydrologic modeling of NC's five major river basins, sidescan sonar for post-flood substrate mapping, and drone-based 3D mapping for disaster response.

Its business model is non-commercial. The Collaboratory receives 100% of its funding through biennial appropriations from the North Carolina General Assembly and distributes the majority of these funds via competitive RFPs to university researchers across the UNC System and other North Carolina institutions. Research outputs and findings are delivered to state agencies (most prominently NC DEQ and NC DPI) and the General Assembly at no cost to inform policy and regulatory decisions. There is no commercial pricing, no product sales channel, and no external customer revenue; geographic scope is North Carolina within the Southeastern United States.

Name

Collaboratory

Legal name

North Carolina Collaboratory

Website

https://collaboratory.unc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The North Carolina Collaboratory is a state-funded research coordination center established by the NC General Assembly in 2016 and headquartered at UNC-Chapel Hill. It distributes legislative appropriations to UNC System researchers, translating university expertise on PFAS, water resources, energy transition, and public health into actionable policy guidance for state and local government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based) (EDAHAGAI), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Environmental research funding
• Academic research grants
• PFAS contamination research
• Public health research

Headquarters

HQ city

Chapel Hill

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Legislative Appropriations: The Collaboratory receives funding entirely through appropriations made by the North Carolina General Assembly. Since its establishment in 2016, it has received over $148 million in legislative appropriations to carry out its mission of translating academic expertise into practical information for state and local governments. Specific appropriations include $15 million for Next Generation Energy research (2023), $74 million for COVID-19 response (2021), $14 million for PFAS research (2021), $5 million for PFAS Testing Network (2018), $500,000 recurring for HMSI program, and $1.9 million for opioid abatement research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The North Carolina Collaboratory is a state-funded research coordination entity that receives legislative appropriations from the NC General Assembly and redistributes those funds as competitive grants to university researchers across the UNC System and other North Carolina institutions. It does not sell products or services commercially; instead it funds, coordinates, and translates academic research into actionable findings for state and local government decision-makers. Core programmatic areas include PFAS contamination and remediation, water-quality and nutrient-management studies, energy transition research, COVID-19 response, K-12 education recovery, opioid abatement, flood resilience, and research capacity building at historically minority-serving institutions.

Product overview

The North Carolina Collaboratory is a university-based research coordination entity established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016, not a traditional software product company. It functions as a centralized research funding and coordination body that utilizes and disseminates research expertise from the UNC System for practical use by state and local government. The Collaboratory's portfolio consists of multiple research funding programs and initiatives rather than a unified software product. Key offerings include the NC Pure Project (PFAS water filtration technology), the PFAS Research Network (consortium managing PFAS research), Next Generation Energy Portfolio (energy transition research), Business-Academia Partnership Program (COVID-19 related R&D grants), Opioid Abatement Research Program, HMSI Research Grant Program, Flood Resilience Hub, K-12 Education Research Program, and various environmental studies (Jordan and Falls Lakes, Hurricane Helene recovery). The Collaboratory also operates the PFAS Fire Station Well Testing Program, NC Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study, and AFFF Take-Back Program. The Collaboratory has received over $148 million in legislative appropriations to fund more than 300 projects across UNC System institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NC Pure Project A research initiative evaluating filtration technologies to remove Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), including short-chain PFAS such as GenX, from North Carolina waters. Developed novel ionic fluorogel sorbents that specifically target PFAS over background organic matter and are amenable to regeneration. Scaled up with $10M from the NC legislature for deployment at three sites.
• PFAS Fire Station Well Testing Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300 university research projects funded across the UNC System since 2016
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• NC State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Collaborating on Next Generation Energy Portfolio research examining data center water demand impacts on NC's five major river basins, led by Professor Ben Rachunok and Jordan Kern. Phase 1 develops scenarios for data center build-out; Phase 2 uses hydrologic modeling to assess stream flow and lake level impacts.
• Duke University Ferguson LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Lee Ferguson's lab at Duke University uses high-resolution mass spectrometry (Orbitrap Astral) to detect and discriminate PFAS compounds in fire station well samples, performing environmental forensics to link contamination to specific sources.
• NC State University (Heather Stapleton)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Environmental chemist and exposure scientist Heather Stapleton manages the NC Firefighter Cancer Cohort Study, collecting biological samples from 1,000 NC firefighters to determine PFAS exposure levels. Previous work includes evaluating in-home water filters for PFAS and studying how firefighter gear releases PFAS.
• N.C. Department of Public InstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Joint $6.73M partnership for COVID-19 learning impact research. DPI's Office of Learning Recovery and Acceleration identifies research priorities and Collaboratory funds academic teams to study pandemic impacts on K-12 students.
• Governor Josh Stein's Energy Policy Task ForcemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Bipartisan task force co-chaired by Representative Kyle Hall and Secretary Reid Wilson. Water resource research supported by the Collaboratory is intended to inform the Task Force's policy recommendations on balancing data center growth with long-term resource management.
• UNC Wilmington Center for Marine ScienceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Conducted sidescan sonar survey of Hyco Lake in July 2025 following Tropical Storm Chantal flooding, mapping substrate and identifying hazards to navigation and public health.
• Person-Caswell Lake AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnered with the Collaboratory following Tropical Storm Chantal to determine how university research could aid Hyco Lake flood recovery in Person and Caswell counties.
• Chimerix Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$2 million grant to Mark Heise at UNC-Chapel Hill for development of oral antiviral drug CMX521 for COVID-19 treatment, building on past work to optimize for oral administration.
• Codetta Bio Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$2 million grant to Deepak Kumar at North Carolina Central University for multi-omic technology development to detect COVID and long-COVID infections and severity.
• EmitBio Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$2 million grant to Scott Randell at UNC-Chapel Hill to validate the RD-X19 COVID treatment device toward regulatory approval and commercialization.
• Inhalon Biopharma Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$2 million grant to Sam Lai at UNC-Chapel Hill for developing IN-007, an inhaled broad-spectrum antiviral treatment against COVID-19 variants, advancing toward clinical trials.
• Vast Therapeutics Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$1.2 million grant to Li Yang at East Carolina University for investigation of proprietary NO-releasing prodrug effects on COVID-related inflammation to prevent long-term lung damage.
• Halyard North Carolina LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$1 million grant to Hooman Tafreshi at NC State University for developing ultra-breathable material for next-generation respirators and PPE.
• Kimberly-Clark Global Sales LLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$1 million grant to Hooman Tafreshi at NC State University for smart manufacturing of PPE and HVAC filters using machine learning to enhance production processes.
• SAS Institute Inc.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$1 million grant to Matthew Wolfgang at UNC-Chapel Hill for machine learning-enabled personalized medicine to improve severe COVID-19 outcomes.
• Institute of Digital Engineering USAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$600,000 grant to Joong-Lyul Lee at UNC Pembroke for using machine learning and digital engineering to predict rapid thrombosis in COVID-19 patients.
• NanoDiagnostic Technology LLCminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$600,000 grant to Terry Xu at UNC Charlotte for on-mask covalent capture and detection of SARS-CoV-2 using advanced mask filtration technology.
• National Institute of Minority Economic DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022$600,000 grant to Bruce Rich at UNC Greensboro to establish a training and technical assistance program with minority-owned businesses to improve affordable housing and create a pipeline of buyers.
• North Carolina Central UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022NCCU partners with the Collaboratory to coordinate opioid abatement research and assist in distributing funds equitably. The university develops a community engagement corps and assists in disseminating research findings to the public, legislature, and stakeholders.
• UNC Injury Prevention Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 November 2022Led by Professor Steve Marshall at UNC-Chapel Hill, partnering on opioid abatement and recovery research program alongside NCCU and the Collaboratory.
• North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2022Long-standing partnership for PFAS research and water quality testing. In 2022, launched the Collaboratory Research Fellows program placing university faculty (Jamie DeWitt, Lee Ferguson, Detlef Knappe, Ralph Mead) with DEQ staff for collaborative research. DEQ uses Collaboratory data to develop regulatory strategies. In 2026, NC DEQ coordinates well testing for residents within one-mile radius when PFAS contamination is found at fire stations.
• Six UNC System Historically Minority-Serving Institutions (HMSIs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Legislative partnership established in 2021 with six HMSIs (Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, NC A&T State University, NCCU, UNC Pembroke, Winston-Salem State University) to strengthen research capacity and support projects connected to NC's evolving needs. Funding of $500,000 recurring increased to $1 million in 2022-23.
• PFAS Research NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021A consortium of university faculty managed by the Collaboratory working together to address PFAS issues comprehensively. Members include Lee Ferguson (Duke), Detlef Knappe (NC State), Jamie DeWitt (East Carolina), and others. Manages statewide water sampling, air quality testing, and public health studies.
• Upper Neuse River Basin AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Co-hosted research symposium with the Collaboratory in April 2022 focused on the Falls Lake Study, bringing together researchers and stakeholders across the state.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Science Foundation (NSF): Federal agency that funds basic and applied research across U.S. universities. Comparable in its grantmaking role to university researchers, though federal in scope and significantly larger. Serves as the broader national reference point for the Collaboratory's grant-dissemination model.
• Battelle Memorial Institute: Large nonprofit that manages federal research labs and applies R&D funding to public and private clients across environmental, health, and energy domains. Comparable in coordinating large-scale research portfolios with government and academic partners, though at much larger scale.
• RTI International: Independent nonprofit research institute providing scientific research and consulting services to government and industry across environmental, health, education, and energy domains. Comparable in its applied-policy research mission and university-network execution, though with global scope.

Regional players

• Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT): State agency funding innovation, research infrastructure, and technology-based economic development across Colorado universities and businesses. Comparable as a state-legislated research and innovation funding body, though with a broader economic-development focus.
• California Institutes for Science and Innovation: Four state-funded research institutes operating under UC campuses to drive innovation in areas like nanotechnology, quantitative biosciences, and telecommunications. Comparable in model (state-funded, university-based research institutes addressing priority issues), though California-specific in scope.

Direct peers

• Illinois Innovation Network: Statewide university-led research consortium under the University of Illinois System connecting faculty, students, and communities to address state priorities. Closely comparable to the Collaboratory's university-coordinated approach and state-policy mandate.
• Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC): State-authorized quasi-public agency that funds clean energy research, pilots, and workforce programs across Massachusetts universities and companies. Comparable as a state-funded research-funding intermediary tied to specific policy priorities (energy), similar in structure to the Collaboratory's Next Generation Energy portfolio.
• Georgia Research Alliance: State-funded nonprofit that recruits and supports world-class research scientists at Georgia universities and partners with industry and government to translate research into economic outcomes. Highly comparable model to the Collaboratory's grantmaking and university-coordinating role, though focused on economic development.
• Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO): State-chartered entity that funds and commercializes university research in Maryland. Comparable in its role as a state-legislated intermediary between academic research, government priorities, and applied outcomes, though more commercially focused than the Collaboratory.
• Research Foundation for the State University of New York: Centralized foundation that administers grants and sponsored research across the SUNY system. Comparable to the Collaboratory in its role coordinating funding flows across a public university system, though larger in scale and more research-administration focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NCCollaboratory
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-carolina-collaboratory
• Instagraminstagram.com/nccollaboratory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments8 records

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Frequently asked questions about Collaboratory