2021 InnoVision Awards: 8 of 18 finalists are from the Upstate

Sep 20, 2021 | Staying on Top, UpstateVibe365

Written by Caron St. John

2021 InnoVision Awards:  8 of 18 finalists are from the Upstate

When the weather begins to turn cooler, many South Carolinians think about football, leaf color, and pumpkin spice.  But, for many of us, fall is all about celebrating innovation in South Carolina!

InnoVision Awards has been recognizing and supporting innovation in South Carolina through awards, forums, and networking since 1999.  Each spring and early summer, we accept nominations and applications from innovative organizations.  We then send the applications off to out-of-state independent judges.  Now, as fall is arriving, we are ready to showcase the finalists with our free virtual Meet the Finalist (MTF) Series held Tuesdays at 4:00 PM on September 28th, October 5th, and October 12th.

The finalists this year are big corporations, small start-ups, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations.  They represent a diverse range of industries – from health care and medical devices to advanced materials, IT services, education,  and community service.  And, they are located throughout the state, with finalists from the Upstate, Midlands, and Low Country.  A true testament to the strength of the SC Innovation Economy.

Eight of the 18 finalists are from the Upstate and are profiled below, with links to their specific MTF virtual receptions.  The full list of finalists from across the state is attached at the end.

Join us at the Meet the Finalists receptions as we recognize and celebrate these innovators!

• Elastrin Therapeutics, Inc. of Simpsonville is a finalist in the Technology Development Award category. Elastrin Therapeutics, a Clemson University spin-off, is a South Carolina-based biotech firm developing novel therapies to reverse cardiovascular disease.
• Advoco: Connect for Good GVL of Greenville is a finalist in the Community Service Building on its software development and implementation business, Advoco launched a non-profit program to serve the community during the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• United Way of the Piedmont, located in Spartanburg, is a finalist in the Community Service Their Community Resource Coordinator (CRC) program has developed innovative service processes for long-term case management clients and crisis response.

To learn more about the nominated innovations from Elastrin Therapeutics, Advoco, and United Way of the Piedmont – and the other finalists in these two categories – join us for the September 28th virtual Meet the Finalist reception by registering here. 

• Aconabolics, LLC of Greenville is a finalist in the Small Enterprise Aconabolics, a Furman University spin-off, specializes in the development and synthesis of labeled metabolites for use in the rapid diagnosis of genetic and infectious disease.
• Dru Feeding System LLC of Travelers Rest is a finalist in the Small Enterprise The Dru Feeding System is designed to solve myriad problems for babies feeding by bottle, particularly preemies and medically fragile infants.
• Veterans ASCEND of Simpsonville is a finalist in the Small Enterprise Veterans ASCEND developed a proprietary, Artificial Intelligence-powered matching algorithm that translates the careers of military veterans and their spouses to meaningful skills required by employers.
• SC Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities (SCGSAH) of Greenville is a finalist in the Education The SCGSAH serves artistically talented high school students from across South Carolina through programs of pre-professional instruction in an environment of academic and artistic excellence.

To learn more about the nominated innovations from Aconabolics, Dru Feeding Systems, Veterans ASCEND, and the SC Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities – and the other finalists in these two categories – join us for the October 5th virtual Meet the Finalist reception by registering here.

• Clemson University’s Clemson Composites Center in Greenville is a finalist in the Sustainability The Clemson Composites Center is a translational research, innovation, and development center focused on developing manufacturing innovations relevant for composites technologies.

To learn more about the nominated innovations from Clemson Composite Center – and the other finalists in these award categories – join us for the September 28th virtual Meet the Finalist reception by registering here.

The full list of 2021 InnoVision Award finalists.

Technology Development

• ArchCath LLC (Awendaw)
• Elastrin Therapeutics Inc. (Simpsonville)
• FRD Accel, LLC (Charleston)

Community Service

• Advoco (Greenville)
• Camp Happy Days (Charleston)
• United Way of the Piedmont (Spartanburg)

Small Enterprise

• Aconabolics, LLC (Greenville)
• Dru Feeding System, LLC (Travelers Rest)
• Veterans ASCEND (Simpsonville)

Education

• Early College High School, Charleston County School District (Charleston)
• IT-oLogy (Columbia)
• SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities (Greenville)

Technology Integration

• Diversey Holdings Ltd. (Ft. Mill)
• PunchList USA (Charleston)
• QuicksortRx Inc (Charleston)

Sustainability

• Clemson University Composites Center (Greenville)
• Ingevity (North Charleston)
• GeoMat, LLC (Columbia)

InnoVision Awards, established in 1999, is South Carolina’s premier organization dedicated to the advancement of innovation and technology.  InnoVision is the only organization of its kind – a grass-roots, volunteer-led non-profit made up of businesses, organizations, universities, and individuals dedicated to recognizing innovation in South Carolina.  InnoVision honors innovation in products, services, and education from across the state, and recognize innovators for achievements in their respective fields.  An InnoVision Award is the mark of distinction for outstanding leadership, innovation, and technological excellence.  For more information, please visit www.innovisionawards.org.

GLEAMNS 10th Anniversary

Sep 7, 2021 | Staying on Top, UpstateVibe365

Written by Chris Thomas, Mays House Curator

The GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site, in Greenwood, SC, is a historical preservation site and museum honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. The Site includes the birth home of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, the Burns Spring School from the Epworth area that is identical to the Brickhouse School that Dr. Mays attended as a child, an interpretive museum, and a seven-foot bronze statue of the iconic Civil Rights leader that sits on a four-foot granite base. The museum captures Dr. Mays’ life in over 100 professionally framed photos and contains many of his personal items. The museum also contains a theatre that seats fifty-five, which allows visitors to view films and to hear speeches and sermons by and about Dr. Mays and his extraordinary life.

On November 5th– November 7th, 2021, the GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site will hold a 10th Anniversary Celebration.  All events listed are free and open to the public.  The celebration weekend will include an anniversary magazine that will commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and, through photographic commemoration, highlight 10 years of success as a historical preservation site.  It will feature many quotes from the notable president of Morehouse College (1940 – 1967)  will tell the story of his birth in Epworth, SC, and his rise to becoming a 20th-century giant through his outstanding leadership as a teacher, minister, scholar, author, theologian, and activist.  The event schedule is below:

Friday, November 5, 2021, the celebration will include a panel discussion, co-sponsored by Lander University (Greenwood, SC), and the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity (Duke University). Panelists will include:

• David Romine (Samuel DuBois Cook biographer) of The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University;
• James West (UK-based writer and historian), author of Ebony Magazine and Lerone Bennett Jr.: Popular Black History in Postwar America and currently working on a manuscript, Our Kind of Historian: A Biography of Lerone Bennett Jr.;
• Randal Jelks (Professor of African and African American Studies and American Studies at the University of Kansas), author of Benjamin Elijah Mays, Schoolmaster of the Movement: A Biography; and
• John Roper (Teaching Associate in History, Coastal Carolina University), author of The Magnificent Mays: A Biography of Benjamin Elijah Mays.

This event will be held in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center Auditorium (Lander University) and will begin promptly at 6 pm.

Saturday, November 6, 2021 – “A Legacy Worth Preserving” – The event will be held at the GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site and will take place from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.  The keynote speaker will be Dr. Randal Jelks and entertainment will be provided by the Lander University Gospel Choir.

Sunday, November 7, 2021 – The weekend will conclude at Old Mt. Zion Baptist Church (Epworth, SC), the childhood church of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays. The theme of this worship service is “Lord the People Have Driven Me On” (the title of the shorter autobiography written by Dr. Mays) and will focus on the power of religious communities.

Join us as we celebrate 10 glorious years of the GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site.

StartGrowUpstate.com – A New Resource for Connecting to Resources for Startups and Businesses

Aug 27, 2021 | Staying on Top, UpstateVibe365

Erin Ouzts, Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem Director

By Erin Ouzts, Upstate Entrepreneur Ecosystem Director

Being in the business of helping entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses, I often hear about the lack of awareness of the over 100 organizations that support entrepreneurs in the Upstate.  Founders and business owners say they can’t find help to learn how to navigate the State or their local government’s procurement processes or how to set up Quickbooks or do market research.

Entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) who work with entrepreneurs (this includes existing business owners), like the Small Business Development Centers, BGen, CommunityWorks, Village Launch and rural chambers of commerce say their biggest issue is creating awareness around the programs and services they provide.

The StartGrowUpstate.com website was built in spring of 2021 as “Your Connection to Business Resources in Upstate South Carolina” to create awareness for both the entrepreneurs and ESOs.   It is formally called a resource navigator and allows visitors to search for the ESOs, resources and events in many ways.

As of mid-August, the StartGrowUpstate.com site provides information on many resources available to support entrepreneurs in the Upstate:  111 organizations; 263 programs provided by those organizations and 275 events on the calendar across the 10 counties.  There are more organizations and programs waiting to be added, like the Studio Upstate, a student-run, faculty-led design firm that does most of the work of a traditional agency at a much lower price point, similar to the Clemson Student Consultant Center that supports entrepreneurs with market research, site selection, competitive analysis reports and other market research needs.

Visitors can search the site in many ways.  On the homepage, start with the search bar right in the top section.  Scroll down a little more and for Programs, People and Events.  Scroll even further down for Featured Events and Deadlines.

From the top menu bar, the Explore button leads visitors to a section where they can search by Resource Type (Digital Tool, Media Source, Funding, Technical Assistance, Network, Showcase, Small Event, Talent Source, Registration, Educational Program, Space, and Competition); Stage (Idea, Early, Mature, Growth); Venture Type (Agricultural, Creative, Growth Startups, Retail or Main Street Stores, Product-Based, Service-based, Technology-based, Traditional, and Restaurants or Food Service); Who You Are (Founders of Color, Students, Underserved Founders); and Industry (Arts, Media and Entertainment; Community and Economic Development; Construction and Real Estate; Energy, Sustainability and Agriculture; Food, Drink and Hospitality; Government Defense and Aerospace; Industry Agnostic; Manufacturing and Advanced Materials; Retail, Product and Personal Services; Social Impact, Education, and Youth; Technology, IT, and Cybersecurity; Transportation, Wholesale, and Logistics).

The Programs section leads to thumbnail descriptions of all programs.  Use Filters to narrow down the Programs listed.  Visitors can filter by Resource Type, Stage of Business, Type of Business, Industry Group, Audience and Tags.  After clicking on a program’s description, you will go to a more in-depth description, a button to visit that website and another thumbnail description of the hosting organization.

The Organizations button at the top of the homepage, leads visitors to thumbnail descriptions of people and organizations that can be filtered by What They do, Resources Provided, Ventures They Work With, Who They Serve, Organization Type and Area of Focus.

A fun feature of the Organizations are short video interviews with members of the organization that explain how they help entrepreneurs, in what type situations they are most helpful and when they will refer entrepreneurs to others.  This allow visitors to “meet” the Upstate ESOs and determine if they are the best fit right away.

The Events button leads to a calendar of workshops and programs for entrepreneurs wanting to learn new skills to start and grow their businesses. Events range from the South Carolina Research Authority’s (SCRA) “Pathway to a Patent” series, to “Construction Contractor Opportunities with the Asheville Airport” by Hensel Phelps and Vannoy Construction, to “Everything You Need to Know about Google My Business” from SCORE and “Specialty Crop Resource Round-Up” by ACRE (Agribusiness Center for Research & Entrepreneurship).

No matter where an entrepreneur is on their journey, from idea to exit, StartGrowUpstate is the connecting point for business resources in the Upstate.