NC is America’s Top State for Business (CNBC, 2022)
Powered by an economy that has hit its stride and turbocharged by a track record of innovation, Caldwell County is the best of NC.
16 Dec 2025
News
Applications are now being accepted for a new round of grants from the One North Carolina Small Business Program, a key source of funding small businesses engaged in research, development, and innovation leading to commercial products.
“Young companies are responsible for the majority of net new job creation,” said North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley. “The One NC Small Business Program provides funding to help these young companies bridge the gap between innovation and the marketplace, creating great jobs and new products that change the world.”
The One NC Small Business Program compliments the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, collectively known as America’s Seed Fund™. Both the state and federal programs provide non-dilutive funding that is critical for small businesses advancing early-stage technologies.