NCInnovation Announces Funding For Four Projects At UNC Asheville

This week, NCInnovation announced the first faculty awardees of the NCInnovation Pipeline Grant Program at the University of North Carolin at Asheville, marking a milestone for the UNC System’s newest commercialization pathway. The inaugural Pipeline cohort, four faculty-led projects, will receive $10,000 to support early development with strong potential for intellectual property creation and future commercialization.  

“We are deeply grateful to NCInnovation for recognizing the transformative work happening at UNC Asheville and for helping us turn our faculty's ingenuity into engines of regional growth,” said Dr. Kimberly van Noort, Chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. “These four faculty-led projects each reflect our university's commitment to turning bold ideas into practical tools that serve people and strengthen our economy. From virtual reality software that trains the next generation of ethical, skilled communicators in the workplace, to an AI-powered math learning platform, a location-based discovery app that deepens community engagement with our cultural and natural heritage, and fabrication technology that expands opportunity for artists and makers — these innovations have the potential to create jobs, attract investment, and position western North Carolina as a hub for creative and technological entrepreneurship.” 

The funded projects span four distinct academic departments — Music, Business, New Media, and Mathematics — underscoring the university’s interdisciplinary approach to innovation and entrepreneurship. The NCInnovation Pipeline Program is designed to help faculty advance promising ideas to proof of concept by pairing early funding with entrepreneurial education and intellectual property support. 

“The NCI Pipeline Program supports faculty as they move innovative ideas toward proof of concept in the development of intellectual property,” said Sally Wasileski, Dean of Natural and Human Sciences at UNC Asheville. “The faculty awarded Pipeline funding come from a wide range of fields in STEM, business, and the arts, exemplifying how innovation and entrepreneurship are interwoven across the university. I’m excited to see how their ideas develop.” 

Here is more information on the four projects supported by this announcement:  

• Tough Talks Virtual Reality Simulation Project 

  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Brad A. Bilsky, Assistant Professor of Accounting 

  • Collaborator: Dr. Ramin Vandaie, Assistant Professor of Business Strategy 

  • Department: Business 

    • The Tough Talks project will develop an immersive virtual reality simulation for the Meta Quest platform that places users in realistic workplace scenarios involving difficult conversations and ethical dilemmas. The software will provide guided coaching and feedback, allowing users to practice and improve interpersonal communication skills in a true-to-life virtual environment. 

• MathChat AI 

  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Mark McClure, Professor of Mathematics and Statistics 

    • Department: Mathematics and Statistics 

    • MathChat AI will create an online discussion forum where students and educators can engage in mathematical dialogue. AI assistants will support clearer mathematical writing and provide immediate feedback aligned with instructor-defined expectations, with future expansion planned for additional subject areas. 

• Discovery Stroll 

  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Melodie G. Galloway, Professor of Music 

  • Collaborator: Dr. Kevin Sanft, Associate Professor of Computer Science 

  • Department: Music 

    • Discovery Stroll is an interactive, location-based multimedia platform that delivers historical, scientific, and cultural information through immersive audio and visual experiences. Using computer vision and voice-activated tools, the app allows users to explore their surroundings and access relevant content in real time. 

• A Fixturing Jig for Safe and Efficient Waterjet Cutting of Fragile and Flexible High-Value Materials 

  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Mark Hursty, Associate Professor of New Media 

    • Department: New Media 

      • This project will develop a low-cost, consumable fixturing jig system that enables precise waterjet cutting of delicate and flexible high-value materials. Designed with artists and fabricators in mind, the system will provide a scalable way to harness the precision of waterjet cutting while protecting and transporting the materials being cut. 

        • UNC Asheville was the first institution in the UNC System to launch the NCInnovation Pipeline Program and award funding, providing a model for how universities can rapidly activate innovation pathways for faculty across diverse disciplines.