Starting or Growing a Business

General Resources | Starting a New Business | Biotech | Energy/Green Economy | Manufacturing | Military/Aerospace | Small Town/Rural | Technology | Textiles | Minority Programs | International Trades | Licensing and Permitting

General Resources

North Carolina offers business owners extensive information and resources, whether you need additional worker training or assistance with marketing, tax issues and permitting. If you have questions, please call Business Link North Carolina (BLNC) toll-free, 1-800-228-8443, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of the Commerce Department's business consultants or visit http://blnc.gov/.

• NC Partnership for Economic Development - Since its founding in February 1997, the NCPED), a nonprofit corporation, has believed that innovation-based economic development principles applied regionally offer the ideal strategy for bringing new jobs and global investment to North Carolina. The organization is composed of the state's seven regional economic development partnerships:
  • AdvantageWest Economic Development Group
    Asheville (representing 23 counties)
  • Charlotte Regional Partnership
    Charlotte (16 counties)
  • North Carolina's Eastern Region
    Kinston (13 counties)
  • North Carolina's Northeast Commission
    Edenton (16 counties)
  • North Carolina's Southeast Commission
    Elizabethtown (11 counties)
  • Piedmont Triad Partnership
    Greensboro (12 counties)
  • Research Triangle Regional Partnership
    RDU International Airport (13 counties)

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Starting a New Business

North Carolina is committed to helping you start your business successfully. Please click here to find the extensive resources offered by state and state-supported agencies to assist you. If you have questions, please call Business Link North Carolina (BLNC) toll-free, 1-800-228-8443, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of the Commerce Department's business consultants.

• Small Business Center Network - The Small Business Center Network, comprised of 58 Small Business Centers throughout North Carolina, supports the development of new businesses and the growth of existing businesses by being a community-based provider of training, counseling, and resource information.
• Small Business and Technology Development Center - SBTDC is North Carolina's Business and Technology Extension Service, is committed to providing knowledge, education and other supportive resources that enable existing small and mid-sized businesses, emerging entrepreneurs and local/state leaders to innovate and succeed.  
  • SBTDC Regional Offices - Find the SBTDC Office nearest you.
• NC Rural Economic Development Center's Entrepreneurship Initiatives
• UNC School of Government economic development courses
• Department of Commerce's Startup Checklist - 6-step process to help you get started with a new business.
• Many more regional and non-profit entrepreneurship programs

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Biotech

• NC Biotechnology Center - The Business and Technology Development Program assists North Carolina bioscience companies with services that range from business planning to networking to marketing strategies.
• BioNetwork BioBusiness Center - The BioBusiness Center supports the development of life science businesses, with particular emphasis on traditional biotechnology, natural products and biofuels, through training, counseling, and resource information.
• UNCP Biotechnology Business and Training Center - Brings together UNC-Pembroke and academic, business and local government entities to develop innovative training and research opportunities.
• UNCW Marine Biotechnology - Three-step process to guide a product from the marine environment to the marketplace. First, they identify niche markets to ensure products are developed to meet specific needs. Second, MARBIONC researchers assemble teams from science, business and academia that match the needs of the product with the specific needs of their partners. Third, MARBIONC provides the infrastructure and support necessary to bring the new marine products to the marketplace.

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Energy/Green Economy

• NC Biofuels Center - Offers business development opportunities for companies that help develop a statewide biofuels industry.
• State Energy Office - North Carolina's lead agency for energy programs and services and serves as the official source for energy information and assistance for consumers, businesses, government agencies, community colleges and schools and the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

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Manufacturing

• NCSU Industrial Extension Service, the arm of North Carolina State University that supports North Carolina business in the workplace - in the office, on the factory floor or in the hospital. Can help your company stay abreast of the latest technologies and best practices in both engineering and business management.

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Military/Aerospace

• North Carolina Military Business Center - A business development organization and collaborative effort between NC Community College System and NC business and industry to increase military business for NC companies, to integrate transitioning military personnel and family members into the workforce and to support recruitment and development of defense related business in NC. www.ncmbc.us and www.matchforce.org
• NC Military Foundation - A non-profit established to bring federal defense and homeland security jobs and investment to NC through identification of emerging defense and homeland security opportunities. In collaboration with government, academia and business leaders they capitalize on opportunities that fall within NC's core strengths of manufacturing, technology, research and development.
• Procurement and Technical Assistance Center with the Small Business and Technology Development Center of UNC provides technical assistance to companies desiring to do business with the Department of Defense or other federal agencies.
• Defense and Security Technology Accelerator - A non-profit to assist entrepreneurs with the rapid deployment of dual use defense and technology solutions to meet military and private industry demands.

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Small Town/Rural

• The North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center is a non-profit organization serving the state's 85 rural counties. In addition to providing leadership on state rural policy, the Rural Center offers programs in entrepreneurship development, small business finance, building reuse and restoration, water and sewer development, grants for community development organizations, leadership development, and support for local economic innovation.
• Department of Agriculture - The NC Department of Agriculture provides a number of services for farmers and agribusiness.
• NC Cooperative Extension - North Carolina Cooperative Extension gives our residents easy access to the resources and expertise of NC State University and NC A&T State University. Through educational programs, publications, and events, Cooperative Extension field faculty deliver unbiased, research-based information to North Carolina citizens. We can answer your questions on a wide array of topics.
• Wine and Grape Council - Assists grape growers and winemakers through research which improves production methods and addresses storage and processing concerns for fresh grapes.

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Technology

• SBTDC Technology Commercialization - SBTDC technology counselors assist technology businesses through management counseling and SBIR outreach.
• University Technology Transfer and Outreach - The University of North Carolina System can help you get a product or technology from academia to the market. The system's Technology Transfer/Outreach programs provide resources for innovative faculty, students and staff.

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Textiles

• Textile Connect - Connects textile complex companies, events, resources, and product and market information, from various government, industry, and academic sources to the United States textile complex.

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Minority Programs

• NC Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses - Assists firms with becoming certified as historically underutilized businesses. In addition, the HUB Office provides outreach, training and networking opportunities for new and established HUB firms. This website provides access to our programs and core services, HUB vendor/firm database, upcoming bids with various state agencies and public entities, HUB Annual Reports, HUBSCO Construction Reporting System, the latest news and calendar information for training and conference sessions.
• For more information on minority programs visit: http://blnc.gov/minority_programs.asp

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International Trade

Conducting business internationally can be complicated. North Carolina has the resources to make it easier. Following are links to resources that will assist you with international business. Each of these links contains additional information and resources. If you have questions, please call Business Link North Carolina toll-free, 1-800-228-8443, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of our business consultants.

• N.C. Department of Commerce's International Trade Division. The division offers education and training programs, including "Export Ready," a two-day course that prepares companies to market internationally their products and services.
• N.C. Community College System's Small Business Center Network, International Business
• N.C. Department of Agriculture's International Trade Office and the department's Marketing Division
• N.C. Ports Authority, with coastal and inland ports
• Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC) and the U.S. Export-Import Bank program
• SBTDC's Export Financing Assistance

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Licensing and Permitting

Identifying all the licenses, permits and/or other regulatory approvals required for business activity is a crucial step in the planning process. If you are not able to find what you need or need additional help, please call Business Link North Carolina, toll-free, 1-800-228-8443, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, to talk with one of our business consultants.

• The Commerce Department's Business ServiCenter consultants can assist in identifying state licensing requirements for specific business activity and provide a wealth of information about service providers, resources and programs available to you in North Carolina.
• The Corporations Division of the Secretary of State's Office can provide information related to incorporations.
• Information about environmental permits may be found on the Web in the Customer Services Section of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NCDENR).

The links below will take you to the online Directory of North Carolina State Business Licenses and Permits. This electronic publication contains information regarding licenses required by N.C. state agencies and occupational licensing boards. You may search the Directory by Keyword or Table of Contents.

• Go to Business Licenses and Permits Table of Contents
• Go to Business Licenses and Permits Keyword Search

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