North Carolina’s life science and technology entrepreneurs attracted more than $461 million in 2013 shows a new report from the Council for Entrepreneurial Development.

CED, a Triangle-based entrepreneurial support organization, today released the “Innovators Report,” which chronicles milestones experienced by startup and growth-stage companies in the state.

This report, released prior to the end of CED’s fiscal year, comes six months after an internal benchmark study was completed by the organization.

[Note: The CED released the report in infographic format. To view the report in easier-to-view pieces, view the slide show included with this post.]

Through the benchmark study, news sources, and other data inputs, CED consolidated the total numbers in aggregate and developed the infographic released today.

The trends that are described in the report demonstrate an “encouraging sign” for the region’s entrepreneurs, said Joan Siefert Rose, CED president, in a statement.

“The level of interest in North Carolina’s companies,” said Rose, “is higher than what many anticipated.

“This is an encouraging sign for entrepreneurs in our region, and we expect to learn more as we investigate the data further.”

However, recent venture capital reports show that traditional VC investing lagged in 2013, as WRAL TechWire reported in April.

CED released this report amid a fundraising campaign at the end of its fiscal year, one small piece of a larger funding strategy for the organization to achieve a shifting strategic plan.

The strategic plan calls for more organizational attention on data inputs like the ones found in the report. A position at CED to replace Hal Thomas, the former manager of the TriangulateNC project, remains open.

Among the report’s findings:

  • Investments in life science companies outpaced technology companies, both in total numbers of deals and in dollar amount.
  • North Carolina accounted for the largest number of unique funders (26), followed by the Northeast (24), and mid-Atlantic (14). California, Midwest, and the Southeast (outside of North Carolina) each represented 10 unique funders.
  • Ten international funders made investments in North Carolina companies.
  • Crowdfunding contributed $225, 789 to technology companies.