GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) – Governor Roy Cooper visited ECU Thursday to push a big part of his budget proposal, innovation.

His plan calls for $10 million for the NC Invents program. It would help universities, innovators, and entrepreneurs get their ideas to the marketplace faster.

The governor toured ECU’s Innovation Design Lab, where students have the opportunity to work with advanced technology like 3D printers, to see what people in eastern North Carolina are doing to push entrepreneurship.

Cooper also sat down with university leaders and spoke with students about how they’re contributing to innovation across the state in areas of healthcare and education.

“In addition to looking for companies to come here to rural eastern North Carolina or expand here, we also need to pay attention to what we already have… Our small business, our innovators, our people who love this part of the state who want to create good paying jobs,” Gov. Cooper said.

Governor Cooper says his budget proposal will help rural communities in eastern North Carolina flourish not only in innovation, but also in areas of infrastructure and healthcare.