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To advance knowledge-based business in the Charleston region (and the state of South Carolina) ThinkTEC partners and/or works closely with several organizations.
The purpose of these alliances is to assist entrepreneurs, encourage tech transfer (commercialization of research), provide funding sources, facilitate sustainability, promote legislation, and foster the growth of existing knowledge-based companies.
Following is a list of those organizations and the services they provide:
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The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce is home to the Business Information Center (BIC), which is a collaborative endeavor of the Chamber and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The BIC offers numerous resources for the business entrepreneur or for the small business owner with a growing company. Information available includes books on starting a business, running a business and research information, including facts, figures and statistics. Computers with printers and Internet access are also available.
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| The Center for Business Research serves as the center for the compilation, interpretation and distribution of business and economic data for the three-county Charleston metropolitan area. This includes custom research for the Chamber's internal divisions, the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Charleston Regional Development Alliance. |
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The Charleston Angel Partners (CHAP) is a member-driven organization composed of a group of Charleston area business professionals who work together to help support high growth economic development in the region. The group screens and evaluates qualified start-ups looking for seed capital. CHAP looks for early stage companies (not pure start-ups) that have the potential to become $50 million companies in 3-5 years. Prospective companies should be incorporated, have a management team in place, an independent board of advisors and an attorney. CHAP considers investments of $200,000 to $400,000 in a round of $1-3M where there are other investor groups involved. Generally, they will not consider companies based more than 300 miles from Charleston.
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The Charleston County Office of Economic Development recruits, retains and assists in the expansion of companies creating “primary” jobs and making capital investments within the boundaries of Charleston County, and to assist in the improvement of the Charleston business climate for such companies. The department recruits manufacturers; large distribution facilities; corporate headquarters and office facilities; software-makers; and research and development facilities, including those dedicated to biotech and electronic engineering. It also conducts an existing business assistance program targeted at businesses residing within Charleston County.
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The Charleston Digital Corridor is a creative effort to attract, nurture and grow knowledge-based companies and industry professionals to Charleston, South Carolina. This is accomplished through a combination of technology enabled initiatives and business incentives, private business support and member-driven programming. With the goal of offering tangible resources to the business community, the Digital Corridor serves as a portal to government, infrastructure, real estate, education, venture capital, professional resources and a trained workforce.
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The Charleston Regional Development Alliance is a full service, professional economic development organization representing Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties in South Carolina. It serves as a confidential resource to help streamline the site selection process, assisting companies with issues ranging from buildings and sites to financing and workforce training.
The Alliance is organized as a public/private, not-for-profit corporation funded jointly by the three county governments and over 100 area businesses. Since its inception in 1995, they've helped nearly 190 companies find a new home or expand their operations here.
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The Tate Center was the first Entrepreneurship Center in the State of South Carolina. Through its research and educational programs, the Tate Center brings together today's and tomorrow's entrepreneurs to further sustainable economic development. The Center serves as a bridge between the College of Charleston and the business community, hosting a number of educational events and conferences for both students and business professionals.
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FastTracSC is a coalition whose members represent the best of entrepreneurial resources in the state. Its mission is to promote entrepreneurship and small business in South Carolina through the FastTrac® programs and help visionaries turn ideas into sustainable growth-oriented businesses in order to improve the quality of life and work in South Carolina.
FastTrac® is a comprehensive entrepreneurship-educational program that provides entrepreneurs with business insights, leadership skills and professional networking connections so they are prepared to create a new business or expand an existing enterprise. The FastTrac® program includes practical, hands-on business development programs and workshops for existing entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, as well as entrepreneurship curriculum for college students.
FastTrac® is designed to help entrepreneurs hone the skills needed to create, manage and/or grow successful businesses. Participants don't just learn about business, they live it! They work on their own business ideas or ventures throughout the program - moving their venture to reality or new levels of growth.
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The Lowcountry Graduate Center was developed to expand the opportunities for graduate education in the Lowcountry. By increasing the range of graduate programs in the region, the LGC will spur economic growth in the community by helping attract new business to the area and making it easier for established companies to attract and retain employees.
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The MUSC Foundation for Research Development is a non-profit, charitable foundation created to benefit MUSC by establishing relationships which bring ideas, technology, and expertise of the faculty, staff, and students at MUSC to industry and, ultimately, into public use. In order to accomplish this goal, the Foundation develops, administers, and otherwise facilitates selected industry sponsored education and research projects and manages the intellectual property, technology transfer, and other economic development-related activities of MUSC.
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NOAA works to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social and environmental needs.
NOAA is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere. It plays several distinct roles within the Department of Commerce: a supplier of environmental information products, a provider of environmental stewardship services and a leader in applied scientific research.
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Founded in 1994, PST is Charleston's leader in IT education and enterprise training solutions, offering more than 300 courses. PST's Blended Learning Solutions combine vendor-authorized and customer proprietary content with ElementK-developed curricula delivered through virtual classroom e-Learning, self-paced e-Learning and traditional hands-on classroom learning. The company offers complete IT education program management solutions, including enrollment, assessment, progress tracking and certification. The company's software products division offers an extensive portfolio of e-Learning performance support and training development tools.
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SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" is America's premier source of free & confidential small business advice for entrepreneurs. It provides resources and expertise to maximize the success of existing and emerging small businesses. SCORE volunteers are working/retired business owners, executives and corporate leaders who share their wisdom and lessons learned in business. 7.3 million entrepreneurs have been counseled by SCORE or attended SCORE workshops.
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SCRA drives growth of the global and regional Knowledge Economy by collaborating with research universities, industry associations, government and private enterprise to advance technology.
They are organized in three components: Federal R&D, Asset Management and Public Interest Research, and offer consulting services, research facilities/services and more.
SCRA technology encompasses more than 30 market segments, including: Advanced Energy Alternatives, Advanced Maritime Technology, Advanced Materials, Biomedical Applications and Bioinformatics, Composite Materials, Homeland Security, Information Security, Information Technology, Nanotechnology, Next Generation Manufacturing Technologies, Public Safety and Supply Chain Logistics and Standards.
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SC Launch! is a joint venture of SCRA and the Research Foundation of Clemson University, The Medical University of South Carolina, and the The University of South Carolina. They have formed partner alliances with corporations, industry consortia, local and regional incubators, and economic development organizations to deliver service and support for its clients.
SC Launch! supplies qualified entrepreneurs and researchers with key tools for success, providing high potential companies with a mix of up-front counseling, facilities, seed funding of up to $200,000 in loans or investments, and ongoing mentoring.
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The U.S Small Business Administration (SBA) administers the Small Business Development Center Program to provide management assistance to current and prospective small business owners. SBDCs offer one-stop assistance to individuals and small businesses by providing a wide variety of information and guidance in central and easily accessible branch locations.
The program is a cooperative effort of the private sector, the educational community and federal, state and local governments. It enhances economic development by providing small businesses with management and technical assistance.
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SPAWAR Systems Center Charleston works to provide knowledge superiority to joint warfighters / peacekeepers through the development, acquisition, and life cycle support of effective, integrated Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems
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The Department of Commerce is South Carolina's lead agency for the growth and development of business and industry. The South Carolina Department of Commerce, in partnership with South Carolina communities, will be the nation's most effective organization for locating new, quality investments and expanding existing investments to create wealth and help achieve the highest quality of life for all South Carolinians.
As one of 13 state agencies that make up the Governor's Cabinet, the Department of Commerce directly shapes the state's economic vision. Under the leadership of Secretary of Commerce Bob Faith the agency enjoys a reputation as one of the nation's most successful economic development organizations. The Chief of Staff leads five divisions, which include Global Business Development, Business Solutions, Community and Rural Development, Grants and Incentives, and Administration. The Department of Commerce also maintains Public Railways, Aeronautics, the South Carolina Film Commission, and the SC Coordinating Council.
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The South Carolina Technology Alliance is a non-profit / private public non-partisan technology orientated Think Tank that develops and advances visionary economic development policies by providing opportunities to collaborate among a diverse cross-section our states business, academic and legislative leaders and our states economic and community development sectors, as well as identifying and develops technology workforce skills, working to create investment capital for our entrepreneurial knowledge base technology companies.
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The South Carolina World Trade Center is a member of the World Trade Centers Association that is comprised of 288 trade centers in 77 different countries and is headquartered in New York City. It is non-profit and non-political and gain funding from private businesses, corporate sponsorships, federal and state grants. The South Carolina World Trade Center promotes, facilitates and supports international commerce through education, networking, trade development services and international business opportunities for companies throughout South Carolina.
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Through a shared vision for future growth and a merger of planning, implementation and economic development, the Office of Economic Development for the Town of Mount Pleasant, encourages selective business investment as a key component of managed growth. The office works to create a sustainable local economy that encourages economic vitality, promotes fiscal integrity and increases the local standard of living while preserving and enhancing the quality of life of the Town of Mount Pleasant.”
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