INNOVATE® South Carolina

Reimagining South Carolina’s Workforce Pipeline Workforce needs have been at a crisis point for years, but traditional efforts for career awareness and access weren’t reaching the next generation in time. That gap in matching talent with in-demand jobs sparked South Carolina-based skillsgapp,a first-of-its kind workforce engagement platform. Its flagship products,...

When the first bell rings at Daniel Morgan Technology Center (DMTC), students step into a unique learning environment that mirrors the workplaces of the future. Some don welding helmets, while others dive into graphic design software. Meanwhile, a group in securities and investments eagerly awaits the Stock Market bell to...

In the heart of South Carolina, a tech company named Credo Software has been quietly making its mark for over two decades. Founded by Sarah and Kevin Curnow on principles of trust, adaptability, and community, Credo’s story is one of innovation, perseverance, and a commitment to helping clients do what...

SC Tech sits at the center supporting South Carolina’s successful push as a tech-driven, future-focused state. An initiative of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes), the cluster helps to accelerate growth and innovation while giving the statewide technology community a unified voice. The work is deliberately broad: strengthen...

For as long as internal combustion engines have required maintenance, the oil change has been viewed as a necessary, albeit messy, evil. Between the risk of skin contact with scalding fluids and the inevitable “oil bath” that occurs when a filter is breached, the process has remained stubbornly primitive. However,...

Claflin University’s enduring legacy of innovation reflects the institution’s long-standing commitment to academic excellence, creativity, and transformative leadership. Founded in 1869, Claflin is the oldest Historically Black College/University (HBCU) in South Carolina. It was the first higher education institution in South Carolina to admit students regardless of their ethnic origin,...

WE THRIVE ON COLLABORATION Public-private partnerships are how we do business. Our established clusters — Automotive, Production Technology/Heavy Machinery, Advanced Materials, Life Sciences, Business Services and Fintech — provide a solid foundation for a resilient economy. Our fastest-growing cluster, Life Sciences, increased by 33% over the past five years. We’re...

The College of Charleston is a nationally recognized public university located in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1770 and rooted in the liberal arts and sciences, the College of Charleston is among the nation’s top universities for quality education, student life and affordability. The College of...

In a manufacturing world grappling with worker shortages, rising costs, and the relentless complexity of “high-mix, low-volume” production, one Greenville-based startup is quietly reimagining what it means for humans and robots to work together. Drobot Inc. is pioneering a new generation of Collaborative Mobile Robots (CMRs) – machines designed not...

The Charleston region is one that’s on the move. For the past 30 years, the Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA) has worked with its partners in government, academia and business to improve the three-county Charleston region’s economy now and into the future. The Charleston Regional Development Alliance serves as a...

Furman University, consistently recognized among the nation’s most innovative universities, made a decisive move in 2023 by launching the Center for Innovative Leadership (CIL). Building on Furman’s mission to build lifelong learners who lead lives of meaning and consequence, its reputation for producing high-potential leaders and the Hill Institute for...

Local governments have struggled to engage residents, ensure accessibility, and provide timely responses to community needs for a long time. In 2016, Bratton Riley founded Citibot to revolutionize how local governments interact with their residents. With a deep-rooted passion for public service and a desire to foster community connections, Riley...

The McNAIR Aerospace Center, in partnership with the USC Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, engages university students in innovative, industry-led research in fields such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, automation, 3D printing, and materials manufacturing. This world-class, hands-on education, along with our commitment to cutting-edge innovation, actively creates leaders...

For more than 40 years, Lockheed Martin has proudly called Greenville, South Carolina home, embedding deep local roots while contributing to global security. Known as the “Global Home of the F-16” and proud winner of “The Coolest Thing Made in South Carolina,” the site produces the F-16 Block 70/72 –...

In 2012, with two young children at home and a bold vision for the South’s untapped potential, Stanfield Gray and his wife, Sunny Gray, launched DIG SOUTH in Charleston, South Carolina. They were driven by a simple question: Why should a child from the South have fewer opportunities than a...

In the heart of Greenville, South Carolina, Gemba Systems Inc. is redefining what “smart manufacturing” really means. Rather than chasing automation for its own sake, the company focuses on empowering people with smarter technologies – solutions that give manufacturers the visibility, insight, and control they need to perform at their...

The SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance (the Alliance) is South Carolina’s unique applied research partnership designed to help companies innovate faster, de-risk new technologies, and strengthen the state’s competitiveness in advanced industries. Managed by the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes) and its applied research arm, Palmetto Applied Research Council,...

Mill Village Ministries is a family of nonprofit social enterprises that was founded in 2012 by Furman University Alum Dan Weidenbenner. Weidenbenner serves as the Executive Director of the West Greenville based “umbrella” nonprofit. The organization is a faith based family of enterprises that aims to elevate the whole community...

SC Aerospace, an initiative of the SC Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes), supports the entire aerospace and aviation industry in South Carolina, with our various open-source studies and research, webinars and conferences, and educational initiatives reaching a far-flung ecosystem that is shaping our future workforce. In one of our recent...

SC Logistics is South Carolina’s statewide logistics and supply chain cluster initiative managed by South Carolina Council on Competitiveness (SC Competes) alongside its collaborative partners. The cluster operates as an open network built to serve South Carolina’s full logistics ecosystem along rail, across the sea, over the road, and through...

In a state known for its industrious spirit and manufacturing strength, the South Carolina Technical College System has quietly – and powerfully – become the engine driving economic growth, workforce transformation, and social mobility. With 16 colleges strategically located across the state, this system isn’t just preparing students for jobs...

Real Relationships Matter Catch Talent is a high-touch recruiting agency that delivers end-to-end talent acquisition solutions to growing technology, financial services, healthcare, digital & creative, professional services, and government contracting companies. Headquartered in Charleston, SC, Catch specializes in the full talent attraction life cycle by sourcing and recruiting qualified candidates...

The South Carolina Small Business Development Centers (SC SBDC) advances the state’s economic development by providing entrepreneurs world-class consulting services, access to a wellspring of resources and affordable training programs. The SC SBDC operates as a cohesive network, offering clients at every stage of the business lifecycle (from pre-venture and...

The Maritime Association of South Carolina (MASC) is proud to celebrate a century of service to the maritime community in 2026. For almost 100 years, MASC has been at the heart of South Carolina’s dynamic maritime industry, forging strong connections, advancing critical issues & paving the way for a prosperous...