Guilford County-based PTP NEXT is awarding grants of up to $50,000 for small business owners to develop innovative products, services and technologies.
Ten companies and one Delaware business with plans to relocate to the region are
semi-finalists in the contest. PTP Next is collaborating with the Piedmont
Triad Partnership and NC Idea, a nonprofit founded in 2005 to foster economic
development in North Carolina. Several local investors also are contributing to
the project. John Martin, Board Member for the PTP NEXT competition said many
of the finalists are creating products linked to the medical field.
“This culture of entrepreneurism where people think about creating businesses and
bettering the Triad and the jobs that will come from it. Any one of the
companies could have that idea that could help employ thousands of people.
Access to capitol is one of the biggest barriers to reach that next step so we
are trying to fill one little piece of the puzzle,” said Martin.
Martin said the business contest winners will be announced by the end of the year.
