About The Program
Description
Nominated nationally for “Excellence in New Venture Creation”, this transformational 9-week experience provides first-time founders in the Greenville, SC community with the right training, the right connections, and access to the right type of capital needed to successfully launch. The program includes mentoring from successful local entrepreneurs and business owners, coaching from experienced design thinkers, instruction from distinguished university faculty, and an investor community that’s engaged and committed to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners.
GVL Starts also serves as a unique bridge between the university and the community, as several Furman students and staff members have participated in this program to accelerate their own venture ideas. Each year, all of the Paladin Pitch Finalists receive a scholarship to participate in this program as a next step that also provides them with deep connectivity into the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Since 2021, this program has supported the launch and acceleration of an incredibly diverse array of 201 ventures. Many of these have gone on to raise funds, hire their first employees, or open a physical store. Together with over 35 collaborating partners and organizations ranging from South Carolina’s Department of Commerce to the Truist Foundation, this program has proven to be a cornerstone of the rapidly growing Greenville, SC entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Course Breakdown
- 9 – weeks
- Program Dates: September 10 – November 5, 2026
- Meets in-person in downtown Greenville each Thursday from 5:30 – 8:30 PM with optional office hours offered
Programming Curriculum
- Week One: Kick-Off & The Successful Entrepreneur’s Mindset
- Week Two: Ideation and Design Thinking: Setting Your Foundations for Success
- Week Three: Building and Executing a Winning Business Model
- Week Four: Marketing: Building Your Story & Sales Funnel
- Week Five: Legal Procedures: Protecting Your Future Success
- Week Six: Capital (Part I): Financial Management
- Week Seven: Capital (Part II): Securing Capital
- Week Eight: Pitch Practice
- Week Nine: Venture Showcase Pitch Competition
Benefits
- Well-rounded skill development
- Idea refinement and validation
- Access to mentorship and networking
- Legal and financial literacy
- Pitch and fundraising skills
Requirements
- Must have an idea or venture to work on throughout the 9-week accelerator. This can look like:
- “Napkin Phase” – meaning you have an idea only
- Working prototype/service offering, or general plans to launch
- Newly established and trying to grow or scale (under 2 years)
Cost
- $499 *limited need-based scholarships available*
FAQs
No, though this program has been offered through a hybrid setting in the past, our team here at The Hill Institute alongside program graduates have agreed that the virtual experience pales in comparison to the in-person for this setting.
Absolutely not, The Hill Institute will cover all parking costs by providing parking stickers if you park in the Richardson Street Parking Garage if meeting downtown or free parking if meeting at Flywheel.
This is a great question! GVL Starts exists as an early growth stage incubator, meaning we are design for companies that are between the “napkin phase”, just an idea written down, to the about to launch or have launched within the past few years without solid traction. Our Program Director, will be happy to meet with you and discuss if your idea is best suited for this program, or if there is another resource we can introduce you to.
The pitch competition referred to above is known as our Venture Showcase Competition; to participate and potentially win a grant towards launching or accelerating your venture, you must be an active member of the current GVL Starts cohort to participate. We do encourage other entrepreneurs and members of the community to come celebrate these groups and help choose the crowd favorite winner!
As we mentioned about – GVL Starts Venture Showcase is a pitch competition exclusive to our current cohort of the GVL Starts program. They’re all vying for a shot at claiming one of three $5,000 startup grants – one of which will be determined purely by crowd vote. Don’t miss out on your chance to experience the electrifying growth of our local entrepreneurial ecosystem!