15 South Carolina projects receive state grants for innovation, entrepreneurship

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The South Carolina Department of Commerce announced the recipients of its 2024 Relentless Challenge grant, which totaled $880,000 granted to 15 projects across the state.

The Relentless Challenge is a statewide competitive grant program for projects that foster a sustainable innovation ecosystem. Awarded projects must address at least one of four goals that guide the program: catalyzing high-growth entrepreneurship; increasing access to risk capital; supporting collaboration between industry and South Carolina-based institutions of higher education; and enhancing talent development for a sustainable knowledge economy, according to the S.C. Dept. of Commerce news release.

“S.C. Commerce is proud to continue supporting the implementation of new projects that open pathways to entrepreneurship and technology development,” said S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “Each Relentless Challenge grant recipient helps make South Carolina an exceptional place for innovative companies to thrive. We are excited to see the impact this year’s projects will have on the state’s innovation ecosystem.”

Since 2013, S.C. Commerce has awarded more than $8.9 million, supporting more than 80 local innovation projects.

The 15 2024 Relentless Challenge grant recipients are:

• Build Carolina – Build Carolina Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Studio
• Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC) – Education Foundation – CDC Learning Center
• Clemson University Research Foundation (CURF) – Piloting a new capital investment strategy for high-growth MedTech startups
• eMYRge – SaaSConn: Creating the “Flywheel Effect” for SaaS-inspired economic growth in South Carolina
• FRESH at Clemson University – Clemson University Cultivate – Sustainable Packaging Entrepreneurs (SPEs): connecting South Carolina businesses with the next generation of sustainable packaging designers
• GrowCo – Catalyzing Columbia: ColaStarts Bootcamp for enhancing statewide networks and beyond
• Harbor Entrepreneur Center – PROPEL – re-accelerate companies beyond startup stage
• Hi Mark Capital Foundation ­– SC Innovation Business simulation program
• NEXT SC – NEXT SC Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) Program
• OneSpartanburg – Spartanburg Area Ecosystem Foundations Project
• Platform at Greer – Platform at Greer Bootcamp: expanding to help established small and medium-sized businesses statewide
• SC Tech College System Foundation – Create Opportunity Expansion Project
• SCbio – SCbioDrive Life Sciences Accelerator
• The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University – The Summer Business & Innovation Bootcamp
• USC – Faber Entrepreneurship Center – expanded opportunity workshops

“While our program is physically located in Greer, our goal is to become the city where businesses from across the state come to get intense training and learn innovation strategies they can take back to their home communities,” said Greer Economic Development Director Reno Deaton.

The Platform at Greer is one of the recipients working closely with the existing industry team from the S.C. Commerce and entrepreneurial support organizations from across the state to accomplish the goals of the grant.