INNOVATE® South Carolina

Zero Assumptions. Real Trust. The printing press. The telegraph wire. And email. Few inventions have shaped human progress as profoundly as our ability to communicate — sharing ideas, plans, failures, and discoveries across distance and time. Organizations move forward through communication, and so does society itself. Yet as email has...

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...

Originally founded in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1929, PIA has offered industry-leading aviation training for nearly a century. As the organization’s newest campus, PIA Myrtle Beach first opened its doors in January 2012 in the same building that once housed the avionics facilities for the Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. This...

Bridging talent, training, and opportunity across the Palmetto State The team at Build Carolina sees possibilities all around. They see massive talent and drive across South Carolina—from individuals eager to build new careers in technology to companies working to innovate and grow. They see a future shaped by meaningful, sustainable...

At Code/+/Trust, we’re more than just a development shop, we’re your strategic co-founders, product visionaries, and fractional CTOs. What do bourbon barrels, jails, and hospitals have in common? They’re all part of the industries our clients have disrupted with our help. We use a flexible, industry-agnostic process: discovery, user research,...

The South Carolina Research Authority has the distinct honor and responsibility to fuel South Carolina’s innovation economy. In 2024, it contributed over $1.33 billion to the state’s economy and supported 6624 South Carolina-based jobs. The average annual salary of these jobs was almost $92,000, 71% higher than the statewide average....

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...

Over the past 15 years, SC Thrive has served as our state’s leader in linking South Carolinians with community and essential resources. In partnership with the Palmetto Institute, the BlueCross BlueShield of SC Foundation, and The Duke Endowment, SC Thrive began as a program of the SC Office of Rural...

150+ Programs Eight Schools of Study make up a curriculum that is continously reviewed and optimized to meet workforce demand. Students are known by their name, not a number, with an average class size of 17. Over $150,000 in Scholarships Affordable tuition ensures students can complete their programs without substantial...

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...

In business, location is everything. The South Carolina Department of Commerce’s vision is to embrace the future while ensuring the state’s sustainable growth and creating economic opportunity for all South Carolinians — from launch to legacy. South Carolina’s prime East Coast location and strong transportation infrastructure give companies efficient, reliable...

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...

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...

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 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,...

Artificial intelligence is one of SC Competes’ priority “critical technologies” for growing South Carolina’s economy and talent base. With the launch of its Palmetto AI Corridor in 2021, SC Competes acts as a connector and catalyst: we convene industry–academic–government partners, map opportunities and gaps, seed pilot programs, and translate AI...

Driving Growth and Connectivity Across South Carolina For nearly two centuries, CSX has been a cornerstone of America’s economic engine, connecting businesses and communities with safe, efficient, and innovative freight solutions. Today, as one of North America’s leading railroads, CSX continues to deliver what matters most—reliability, flexibility, and value—while powering...

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...

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) serves as the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, dedicated to preserving and optimizing human life in South Carolina through education, research, and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,200 students across six colleges—Dental Medicine, Graduate...

It is incredible to think that in the span of only 125 years the world has been completely transformed by the advent of modern transportation. It has opened the world to travel, commuting to work, moving goods and services in what used to take weeks or even months to a...

In the heart of Charleston, South Carolina, a quiet revolution in global trade is underway. Gnosis Freight, a software company founded just a few miles from the port, is building the digital infrastructure that powers the world’s most complex supply chains. Global freight runs on shipping containers – but despite...

Benore Logistic Systems, Inc. stands as a testament to unwavering commitment, family heritage, and industry-leading innovation. Founded with a vision to redefine logistics, the company has grown into a powerhouse, seamlessly integrating transportation, warehousing, and supply chain solutions for some of the world’s leading industries. From its inception, Benore Logistic...

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...