NCBiotech is a public-private organisation established in 1984 to grow North Carolina’s life sciences ecosystem by supporting research commercialisation, company formation, workforce development and industry recruitment.
NCBiotech marked its 40th anniversary last year. Could you explain the role the organization has played in building North Carolina’s life sciences ecosystem?
NCBiotech was created in 1984, at a moment when North Carolina’s leadership recognised that traditional industries such as tobacco, textiles and manufacturing were changing and would not sustain the state for the next century. The General Assembly made a forward-looking decision to establish the North Carolina Biotechnology Center as an organisation outside of state government, so it could be nimble, responsive and focused on bringing new technologies and companies into the state. At the time, this was the first organisation of its kind anywhere in the world.
From the beginning, NCBiotech combined recruitment, research translation and early funding. It helped accelerate the growth of Research Triangle Park by actively recruiting global companies and supporting the commercialisation of university research. Since 1985, its grant programme has delivered a strong return, with every dollar invested generating around $52 back into the state economy. Loan programmes followed shortly after, providing low-interest, non-dilutive capital to founders at a critical stage, and supporting the steady growth of early-stage companies across North Carolina.
How did early corporate presence and international investment shape the ecosystem in the years that followed?
In the late 1980s, Research Triangle Park saw a surge of international companies, particularly from Europe. For many years, five of the six global ag-tech giants had their US headquarters within ten miles of NCBiotech’s offices. At the same time, GSK established its North American headquarters in the region, becoming a major anchor employer and talent generator.
Over time, GSK’s presence led to significant spin-outs, venture capital activity and a deep pool of experienced executives who stayed in the state and founded new companies. This combination of multinational anchors and entrepreneurial talent laid the groundwork for sustained growth and diversification across the life sciences sector.
Workforce development seems central to North Carolina’s success in biomanufacturing. How did that evolve?
A major focus has been workforce development, particularly for biomanufacturing. NCBiotech developed BioWork, a programme that defines the core skills needed to work in biomanufacturing. This curriculum was shared with the community college system, making it accessible across the state.
North Carolina has 58 community colleges, structured so residents rarely need to travel more than 30 miles for education. BioWork is now taught at 15 colleges, all located near major biomanufacturing facilities. Combined with the university system, which produces around 6,000 advanced life sciences graduates and 4,500 engineering graduates annually, this creates a strong, job-ready talent pipeline that companies value highly.
What has recent industry growth looked like in concrete terms?
The past year alone was a record year, with 22 major company announcements, roughly $10.5 billion in announced investments and around 6,500 new jobs. North Carolina has been ranked by CNBC as the top state for business three of the past four years, and has been recognised as a leading biomanufacturing hub.
Importantly, growth is geographically spread. While the Triangle remains central, major investments are also taking place near Charlotte, in eastern North Carolina and beyond. This creates life-changing career opportunities across the state, many of which do not require a PhD, and helps people better understand the breadth of roles within the life sciences.
How do you help people who might not traditionally see themselves in life sciences careers?
Most jobs in biomanufacturing are not research roles, so we focus heavily on exposure and access. We developed virtual reality programmes for high-school students to experience what working in biomanufacturing looks like, and created pathways from high school to community college and directly into the workforce.
One example is a programme in Greenville targeting students from under-resourced schools. After a short, intensive training programme, participating companies commit to interviews. Last year, 26 of 28 students secured jobs, often starting at around $45,000 per year. We also work with veterans transitioning out of military service, offering BioWork certification in their final six months, which aligns well with industry needs and protocols.
How large is the life sciences sector in North Carolina today?
In 1984, there were roughly five companies that could be described as life sciences businesses in the state. Today, there are around 840. The sector contributes approximately $82 billion annually to the economy and around $2.4 billion in state and local taxes.
Direct employment stands at about 75,000 people, with more than 200,000 indirect jobs supported across legal, engineering, construction and other services. Life sciences is now the second-largest contributor to the state economy after agriculture, and the goal is to reach $100 billion by 2030.
North Carolina is known for manufacturing and CROs. How strong is the biotech and R&D base?
Research Triangle Park remains a major hub, covering around 7,000 acres, with roughly 70 percent of companies focused on life sciences or related fields. It also benefits from proximity to a strong technology ecosystem, including companies such as Google, Apple and SAS, creating opportunities at the intersection of tech and life sciences.
Beyond RTP, the state has developed additional hubs, including a major regenerative medicine centre in Winston-Salem anchored by the Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine, a growing research cluster in Charlotte, and emerging hubs in Greenville and Wilmington. Manufacturing activity largely sits in a ring around RTP known as the biopharma crescent, where multi-billion-dollar investments from global pharma companies are concentrated.
How do you see NCBiotech’s role in attracting international companies, particularly amid onshoring trends?
NCBiotech has always maintained a strong international focus. Japan is currently the state’s largest foreign direct investment partner, and we maintain regular engagement across Europe and Asia. Today, we are actively working on around 27 international projects, the majority originating from Europe and exploring US expansion.
While competition is strong, North Carolina compares well due to its skilled workforce, lower operating costs compared with Massachusetts and California, and integrated training infrastructure. Our role is to help companies understand these advantages and move towards profitability more quickly.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about 2026 and beyond?
We are encouraged by continued recruitment momentum and record venture capital investment, with around $1.6 billion deployed in North Carolina companies last year. Interest in early-stage technologies is strong, but demand for grants and loans now far exceeds available funding, especially given pressure on federal programmes such as SBIR.
We are hopeful for increased state funding to expand our ability to support early innovation. Combined with supply-chain onshoring, new research infrastructure across the state, and a long history of “firsts” in education and innovation, we believe North Carolina is well positioned for the next phase of growth. The work is challenging, but the opportunities ahead are significant, and the outlook remains very positive.
