SC Innovation Awareness Month’s founding partners stem from across the state, including the Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina Research Authority and the South Carolina Department of Commerce. Through collaboration with our partners and entrepreneur organizations, we are making resources accessible to outside investors to grow our economy and building a culture of innovation that is nationally recognized.
The SC Innovation Awareness Month founding partners are a group of organizations dedicated to advancing the state's innovation and knowledge ecosystem. These companies and organizations provide resources and opportunities for entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors. The three founders are committed to helping South Carolina become a leader in innovation and ensure that the state remains competitive in the global economy.
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research, and patient care.
Chartered in 1983 by the State of South Carolina as a public, nonprofit corporation, South Carolina Research Authority fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy through the impact of its four programs.
The South Carolina Department of Commerce's innovation team mobilizes the dynamic flow of resources and information among people, industries and institutions for the prosperity of South Carolina citizens.
Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,000 students in six colleges – Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy – and trains more than 850 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $297.8 million in research funds in the fiscal year 2022, leading the state overall in research funding. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.
SC Academic Innovations provides funding and support to advance translational research and accelerate the growth of academic startups. SC Facilities offers high-quality laboratory and administrative workspaces for technology-based startups and academic institutions. SC Industry Solutions facilitates and funds technology advancements and partnerships with industry, startups, and academic institutions. SC Launch mentors and funds technology-based startups that may also receive investments from SCRA’s investment affiliate, SC Launch, Inc.
Elevating and connecting the state’s people-driven ecosystem is at the forefront to ensuring global competitiveness and driving future economic growth. The innovation team at the South Carolina Department of Commerce (SC Dept of Commerce) embraces a risk-taking culture as they identify, prioritize, develop, and launch new assets to support South Carolina’s business community in their relentless pursuits of transformational ideas.