The N.C. Biotechnology Center has awarded three, $30,000 loans to help small life-science companies get going.

The nonprofit, state-funded center provides low interest loans to promising companies. The goal is to provide early funding until companies can attract the attention of bigger investors.

The loans are part of the Biotech center's mission to bolster the industry and its role as a job-creation engine across the state.

The three companies each received the maximum $30,000 loan to pay for non-scientific business start-up activities.

The companies include (click "Read More"):