News from campus and beyond
S.C. Commerce awards grant to The Hill Institute at Furman University
The entrance to the Crescent Innovation District where the Furman Innovation Lab is located.
The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University is one of 13 organizations across the state awarded grant funding from the South Carolina Department of Commerce.
A lounge area in the Crescent Innovation District.
The Furman Innovation Lab, a collaboration between The Hill Institute and the Center for Innovative Leadership at the university, will receive a portion of $750,000 in funds from S.C. Commerce, which will disperse awards through its 2025 Relentless Challenge and StimulateSC grants.
With the launch of the Furman Innovation Lab at Crescent One, The Hill Institute demonstrated its commitment to fostering a thriving innovation environment, specifically in the areas of high-growth entrepreneurship, talent development, access to risk capital, and multi-party partnerships aimed at accelerating the successful growth of pioneering products.
“We are proud to continue building side-by-side with S.C. Commerce as we lean into creating a more innovative future for South Carolina,” said Bryan Davis, executive director of The Hill Institute.
Bryan Davis, The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
“This grant will allow us to significantly advance the region’s entrepreneurial community by fueling the area’s first true innovation hub where we are convening a catalytic blend of students, ventures, corporations and other partners. Together, we’re going to advance innovation and strengthen human capital networks in the greater Greenville area,” Davis added.
In a news release, Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said, “South Carolina is home to a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and innovators, which we are proud to continue investing in. This year’s Relentless Challenge and StimulateSC grant recipients will further grow our state’s innovation and business development ecosystems, and we look forward to the impact these projects will have across South Carolina in the years ahead.”