Group to Pursue Green Business Innovation Center for Wilmington: Grant Program Drives Entrepreneurial, Job-Creating Ventures Statewide

The Cape Fear Economic Development Council (CFEDC) announced today it has been selected by the North Carolina Office of Science & Technology to submit a full proposal to their 2010 solicitation, one of only a few chosen for the next stage from among hundreds of applicants, according to Paul Shannon, Green Business Funds Administrator at the N.C. Energy Office.

At stake now is a sizable grant that would help launch the Green Business Innovation Center, to be based in downtown Wilmington, the brainchild of founding CFEDC members who collaborated in developing the project.   The innovation center is just one of many initiatives on the drawing board for the upstart non-profit, which is focused on 21^st century economic development and jobs creation for Greater Wilmington. 

CFEDC is an all-volunteer endeavor promoting innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship as essential to successful local economic growth, regional competitiveness, and jobs and income generation.  Following the lead of the Chamber of Commerce’s highly respected Cape Fear Future initiative, the group puts a high priority on preserving the region’s enviable Quality of Place for ongoing economic vitality both today and in the future.

“We are pleased to have been recognized for the creativity of our proposal, which emphasized the opportunity to leverage private sector investments and entrepreneurial growth here in the Cape Fear Region, while promoting environmentally conscious clean technology and renewable energy products,” said Lloyd Smith, President of CFEDC.  “We hope to showcase everything from the exciting innovations at GE Nuclear all the way to the solar, wind, and other sustainable offerings of local start-ups,” said Smith.  Smith also noted that partnerships are currently being explored with key regional business leaders about the Center.

The Green Business Fund encourages the development and commercialization of promising new technologies. “Gov. Bev Perdue has made fostering the development of innovative commercial technologies, products and services a priority to make North Carolina a national leader in the green economy,” said Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco. “This fund helps our state’s entrepreneurs create and market the cutting-edge technologies we need to fuel our state’s future and meet that priority.”