Orange County NC Website
3 <br /> Recent Notable Achievements & Positive Economic Impact on the Local Economy: <br /> "LAUNCH" directly contributed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill being <br /> recognized on November 4, 2015 as ranking among the top five best performing university <br /> business accelerators in North America, based on a 2015 benchmark study by UBI Global, <br /> which is a thought leader in performance analysis of business incubators around the world. <br /> Amy Linnane, who is a former LAUNCH cohort graduate and the current Acting Director of the <br /> agency, has provided the following new statistics to illustrate the incubator's notable economic <br /> contribution to the local community: <br /> 5 Year Statistics (2012 thru 12/2017) <br /> • 75 companies served in 9 cohorts, with 44+ completing the survey (59% of total) <br /> • At least 46 original companies still remain in business (61%) <br /> • 94% remain in business after 1 year; 64% remain in business after 2 years <br /> • 31 companies (41%) began with UNC students as primary founders, and 7 remain in <br /> business (23%) <br /> Calendar 2017 Results (by all LAUNCH companies) <br /> • $12.75 million in venture capital support was raised (by 19 companies) <br /> • $20.6 million in annual revenues earned <br /> • 1,124 employees (215 full-time and 909 part-time) <br /> • 202 jobs based in Orange County <br /> • 25 companies call Orange County home <br /> • 12,150 square feet of total leased office space <br /> • $184,500 paid in rent <br /> • $99,000 in annual spending in downtown Chapel Hill <br /> In recent developments, Cohort #11 took up residence at LAUNCH on January 22, 2019 with 10 <br /> new entrepreneurial teams (including four UNC student teams). <br /> Summary of previous co-funding agreements between Orange County and the Town of <br /> Chapel Hill to support the LAUNCH incubator: <br /> Orange County and Town of Chapel Hill have provided joint financial support of the LAUNCH <br /> small business innovation center for the past 6 '/2 years via previous Interlocal Agreements, as <br /> follows: <br /> (1) First Interlocal Agreement between the Town & County (3 '/2 year initial term of <br /> 50/50 co-sharing of lease payments for 4,000 square feet, for the period of 7/1/12 to <br /> 12/31115) <br /> • The initial 3 1/2 year (42 month) Interlocal Agreement between the County & <br /> Town to co-fund LAUNCH was split 50/50 in a mutual cost sharing. The <br /> County paid its portion from Article 46 funds ('/4 cent sales tax proceeds for <br /> economic benefit) dedicated to providing entrepreneurial support, at a level of <br /> $10,000 per quarter for 42 months, or, a total cost to the County of $140,000 <br /> over the full 3 1/2 year initial term. The Town of Chapel Hill provided an equal <br /> amount of financial support. This first Interlocal Agreement expired on <br /> December 31, 2015. <br />