UNC Hires Innovation Leader to Turn Research Into Jobs

A combat veteran who helped take a private jet company public is now taking the helm of UNC Chapel Hill's innovation engine, with one clear mission: make it easier to turn university research into jobs and solutions for North Carolinians.

Tommy Sowers starts April 20 as UNC's new vice chancellor for innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development. He'll work to connect the dots between Carolina's research labs and the real world, helping faculty and students launch more startups and build stronger ties with businesses across the state.

Sowers knows both sides of that equation. At Duke, he taught students to solve real technology challenges for organizations like OpenAI and the North Carolina Governor's office. Before that, he led flyExclusive, North Carolina's third largest private jet operator, through rapid growth and a public offering in 2023 that created economic momentum in eastern North Carolina.

His resume reads like five different careers rolled into one. He served 11 years in the U.S. Army, including two tours in Iraq as a Green Beret. He worked as an assistant secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs, setting strategy for engaging with all 50 states. He founded GoldenKey, a tech company that reimagined home buying without traditional real estate commissions, then sold it after three years.

From 2018 to 2021, Sowers ran the Southeast region for the Department of Defense's innovation network, bringing together universities, entrepreneurs and investors to build new technology for national security. Governor Josh Stein recently appointed him to North Carolina's AI Leadership Council.

The Ripple Effect

Chancellor Lee Roberts says Sowers represents the kind of cross-sector thinking Carolina needs. Someone who understands how policy gets made in Washington, how companies get built in North Carolina, and how scientific breakthroughs can solve problems people actually face.

The timing matters. North Carolina has emerged as a technology and life sciences powerhouse, but universities often struggle to move discoveries from the lab to the marketplace quickly. Sowers will work to streamline that process, making UNC what Roberts calls "the easiest major research university in the country to do business with."

For Sowers, the role is personal. He lives in Chapel Hill with his wife Ericka, their four daughters, two dogs and two chickens. He calls North Carolina home, and sees this as a chance to help his neighbors benefit from the innovation happening in their own backyard.

His job isn't just about creating companies. It's about creating pathways for students to become entrepreneurs, for faculty to see their research make a difference, and for North Carolina communities to access the economic opportunities that flow from world class research.

The father of four girls, former combat leader, company builder and policy expert now gets to apply all those experiences to one goal: turning Carolina's great ideas into real impact for the people who live here.