Innovation Roundup
The Hidden Engine of AI Readiness in South Carolina
Most organizations are moving quickly to use AI, but many haven’t built the systems behind the scenes to support it. That gap shaped Brad Alexander’s session at the SC Competes Spring Summit, where he focused less on tools and more on what it takes to run AI reliably inside a business, and why South Carolina…
Top 5 AI Prompt Frameworks You Can’t Live Without
Last week’s i4Series event brought together Upstate professionals experimenting with AI to explore ways to use it to solve meaningful business problems. Panelists included Emil Babineau, Founder of Nuvexa AI, and Christopher Kemper, Co-Founder of EMILY Revolutionary Marketing Group. The conversation started with structure, not tools. Babineau noted, "AI doesn't fix unclear thinking. It just…
Profile of the SC Graduate in the Age of AI: What Employers Are Really Looking For
South Carolina’s workforce conversation is shifting quickly, and that shift was on display during the TransformSC panel on the Profile of the SC Graduate in the Age of AI at this year’s SC Competes Spring Summit. Rather than focusing on tools or technology alone, the discussion centered on what employers increasingly expect from students entering…
AI-Ready or AI-Risky? A Practical Playbook for Business Leaders
Artificial intelligence was a recurring theme throughout this year’s SC Competes Spring Summit, but the question many leaders are still working through isn’t whether AI matters. It’s where to begin. During one of the AI sessions, Jason See of Worthwhile offered a practical framework for leaders trying to move from experimentation to measurable business value.…
Demystifying SC Funding Resources: Lessons from the Founders Forum
South Carolina founders are building ambitious companies, but figuring out where to find non-dilutive funding, grants, and strategic support can feel overwhelming. At the February Founders Forum, hosted by NextGEN and sponsored by InnoVision Awards, leaders from across the state broke down how the funding ecosystem actually works and how founders can plug into it. The…
Event Recap: Evolving Your Financial Team for Growth from Startup to Exit
Last week at Flywheel Coworking, founders and operators filled the room for a conversation many business owners put off too long: how your financial team needs to evolve as your company grows. Our speakers, Mike Airhart with Accountability Services and David Benner with FocusCFO, have both built and led businesses through growth, complexity, and transition.…
i4Series Event Recap: The Value Equation
How Markets, Metrics, and IP Drive Startup Valuations Last night’s i4Series event brought together a powerhouse lineup of investors, academics, and startup veterans to tackle a deceptively simple question: What makes a company valuable? Moderated by Paul Clark, Managing Director of VentureSouth, the discussion was full of stories, lessons learned the hard way, and a…
Event Recap – Capital Connections: Finding the Right Funding for Your Business
The latest i4Series event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and funding experts for an engaging discussion on how to secure the right kind of capital. The session was moderated by Tony Nolte of the Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm and featured William Taylor Co-Founder of Launchpad Greenville, Matt Bell, Director of SCRA’s SC Launch program, and…
Launchpad GVL Graduates First Cohort and Expands to Columbia
Launchpad GVL is bringing its successful tech incubator program to Columbia Now in its second week, Launchpad COLA has officially kicked off Cohort 2 at the Boyd Innovation Center, providing founders across the Midlands with world-class startup training and a strong support network. The expansion follows a major milestone, the graduation of Launchpad GVL’s inaugural…
Event Recap – Implementing AI in Your Business: A Practical Approach
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a headline, it’s a business reality. For many organizations, the question isn’t if they should adopt AI, but how to do it in a way that creates real value without unnecessary risk. That was the focus of the September 2nd i4Series event, where business leaders, innovators, and community members…