Columbia, SC – The South Carolina Research Authority has announced organizational changes that will enable it to provide even more support to the state’s academic research, development, and innovation startups.
Under the leadership of Lee MacIlwinen, SCRA’s new chief program officer, the SC Launch program is further regionalizing its support with deployed staff and increased funding and resources to the state’s expanding markets, namely the Aiken, Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville, and Rock Hill regions, to ensure support for all of South Carolina. Senior investment managers Kevin Eichelberger in the Charleston region, Mitch Smith in the Columbia region, and Rob Moser in the Greenville region will be leading each regional team. These regional leaders and their teams will work closely with Jeannine Rogers in her new role as director of program development to roll out new programs for the regions. Catherine Hayes, in her new role as director of customer solutions, will also work with these leaders to connect industry partners with startups to facilitate market validation and accelerate industry adoption of new technologies from the startups. Other SCRA staff received new titles to align with regional teams.
“We are realigning our programs into our leading entrepreneurship program, SC Launch, with a regional focus to better serve our startups and academic institutions,” said SCRA Chief Program Officer Lee MacIlwinen. “Whether a startup or academic project is ready to demonstrate its innovation to an industry partner, or a startup needs advisement, grant funding, or is ready for an equity investment, our team now has the resources to meet these needs.”
“We have a unique opportunity to lead initiatives that will have a positive and long-lasting impact in these areas of our state. They will accelerate bringing new products and services, made right here in South Carolina, to the market,” said SCRA Interim President and CEO Bill Kirkland. “All of this drives innovation and creates jobs.”
SCRA’s SC Launch program will now award all existing grants to technology and academic-based startups, host regional networking events, and offer exclusive discounts and services through its member benefit program.
SCRA plans to announce new initiatives in the coming months.
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Chartered in 1983 by the State of South Carolina as a public, nonprofit corporation, South Carolina Research Authority fuels the state’s innovation economy through the impact of its comprehensive services to technology-based startups, academia, and industry. SCRA provides funding and support to accelerate the growth of academic startups; high-quality lab and administrative workspaces; facilitation and funding for partnerships between and among industry, startups, and academic institutions; assistance and funding for the relocation of technology-based companies to South Carolina; and coaching and funding for startups that may also receive investments from its affiliate, SC Launch Inc.
Media Contact
Adrianne Grimes
Director of Marketing and Communications, SCRA
adrianne.grimes@scra.org
