Category: Press Release

Greenville Area Entrepreneurs Announce Fund in Support of Local Founders

NEXT Founders Fund to Grow Greenville-Based Startups

Two Greenville entrepreneurs, joined by Mayor Knox White, announced the creation of a multi-million dollar early-stage fund with commitments from dozens of investors in the Greenville area.

The NEXT Founders Fund will be run by General Partners Scott Millwood and Shay Houser, co-founders of Deal Strategies. Both are entrepreneurs who have successfully founded/co-founded and exited high-growth companies in Greenville.

“The fund will address gaps in the ecosystem by providing financial and business resources to scaling startup companies,” Millwood said. “Shay and I have grown multiple successful companies here in Greenville so we know it can be done. We have some great founder talent here but they often face a daunting challenge of searching far and wide for funding and guidance. This gap is pretty big here in Greenville at the moment. The NEXT Founders Fund was built to bridge that gap,” he said.

The fund, totaling $6 million, expects to make 8-10 investments over the next eighteen months in companies with capital-efficient models that call Greenville home.

For its first investment, the fund has committed to Safe Helipad, a software platform to help manage helipads, helidecks, and vertiports for safety and compliance.

“Safe Helipad was inspired from my time in the Marine Corps flying helicopters and doing aviation mission planning. I did that at the battalion level, squadron level, all the way up to flying for President Obama at HMX One,” said founder and CEO Michael Middleton. “What I found is with helipads, landing zones and heliports there is very little technology and knowledge-sharing being applied. That creates risk. We created SafeHelipad to address that and we’re doing it from right here in Greenville, SC”

The City of Greenville and Greenville Chamber are primary investors in NEXT as part of the area’s economic development strategy to attract and grow high-impact, knowledge-based companies. NEXT identifies, engages and provides support for high-growth entrepreneurs and companies through programming, connections and support.

Millwood says, “As current board chair and a co-founder of NEXT, I’ve had a front-row seat at the growth of our ecosystem. The NEXT Founders Fund addresses a gap I’ve seen where scaling companies need more than just money to hit the next stage.”

About NEXT

NEXT is a non-profit entrepreneurial support organization that attracts and helps grow high-impact, knowledge-based companies by developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Greenville, SC and connecting entrepreneurs to it. Our mission is to identify, engage and provide support for high-growth entrepreneurs and their teams as they build scaling, investor-ready companies through programming, connections and support whether just starting out or well on their way.

For more information, visit www.nextgengvl.org

Contact:

Susan Durden, NEXT | 864-735-7516 | susan@nextsc.org

NEXT Launchpad event awards 8 entrepreneurs with over $125k in prizes

The first-ever #StartupGVL Week was a huge success, with events from ecosystem partners including NEXT, Flywheel, The Hill Institute at Furman University and the City of Greenville, all collaborating to turn the spotlight on startups.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- April 7, 2022 (Greenville, SC) – The inaugural NEXT Launchpad event was an incredible celebration of early-stage innovation and entrepreneurship! With over 80 applicants for prizes in 6 categories, 8 winners were selected to receive prize packages that, in total, represent more than $100k.

And the winners are…

HR/Team Development (Find Great People) – Charcuterthree
Valuation (VentureFirst) – GoBeep
Finance/Accounting/Business Services (Elliott Davis) – A Polished Man
Legal Services (Wyche) – Aconabolics
Design and Branding (Brains on Fire) – Livi Lou Laine
Seed Capital from SCRA – Bottle Titan, Offeroo, SafeHelipad

In addition, Carl Sobocinski, founder and president of Table 301 Restaurant Group, joined Beth Brotherton for a candid conversation on-stage about facing fear and gaining courage throughout his entrepreneurship journey. NEXT also unveiled the first iteration of the StartupGVL Ecosystem Resource map, which features more than 50 local resources for startups and entrepreneurs in the Greenville region AND had StartupGVL T-shirts for everyone who attended.

ABOUT NEXT

NEXT is an entrepreneurial support organization that attracts and helps high-impact, knowledge-based companies grow by developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem and connecting entrepreneurs to it. NEXT currently supports over 120 knowledge-based companies in Upstate South Carolina. For more information, visit www.nextgengvl.org

CONTACT:

Susan Durden | 864-735-7516 | sdurden@nextsc.org

NEXT Announces new #StartupGVL initiative, bringing together ecosystem partners to champion entrepreneurship

StartupGVL

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- April 7, 2022 (Greenville, SC) – At the first-ever NEXT Launchpad event on April 7th, NEXT unveiled the first iteration of the StartupGVL Ecosystem Resource map, which features more than 50 local resources for startups and entrepreneurs in the Greenville region AND had StartupGVL T-shirts for everyone who attended.

ABOUT #STARTUPGVL

Momentum is building across the Upstate of South Carolina. The region is realizing its potential as an innovation hub and making another storied move to anticipate where the puck is going, not where it’s been. StartupGVL is a destination. It represents the spirit of entrepreneurship and personifies innovation flowing from a diverse set of resources. From the chefs and foodies following their dreams along Main Street to the software geeks building tech-based businesses on the banks of the Reedy River – StartupGVL provides inspiration, connections and support. We believe that the spirit of innovation and the bold bravery of entrepreneurs will stimulate our entire economy and invigorate an integrated community.

ABOUT NEXT

CONTACT:

Susan Durden | 864-735-7516 | sdurden@nextsc.org

NEXT 2022 Board Members Announced Incorporating Entrepreneur Voices

New Board Members Announced Incorporating Entrepreneur Voices

Greenville, SC – The NEXT Board of Directors recently appointed three Greenville-based founders to join the NEXT Board as entrepreneur voices for the community.

Paige McPheely– CEO of Base, a support software for executive assistants. Paige is a two-time startup founder and Forbes Next 1000 honoree.
Marty Osborn– Managing Director at Accenture. Marty led Advoco, a leading Infor EAM software consulting services company which is now a part of Accenture, for 10 years.
Derek Pedersen– Derek led Fusion Web Clinic for 10 years, which was acquired by Therapy Brands in 2018. Derek also served as the inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence at Furman University.

Scott Millwood, CEO of Yesflow, will remain Chair of the NEXT Board of Directors until December of 2022. “NEXT has always been about founders first,” said Millwood, “and I’m excited to see how this current group of new voices will contribute to that legacy and bring even MORE high-growth companies to the table.”

Eric Weissmann, Executive Director of NEXT, adds, “There’s an element of giving back that can’t be understated when you look at thriving startups ecosystem. We need to build ourselves and our programming around the cues we hear from founders themselves, both past and present – that’s invaluable feedback.”

The Board expects to continue to expand its members in the coming weeks.

About NEXT

NEXT, launched as a production of the Greenville Chamber in 2006, is an entrepreneurial support organization that attracts and helps grow high-impact, knowledge-based companies by developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem and connecting entrepreneurs to it. NEXT currently supports over 120 knowledge-based companies in Upstate South Carolina. For more information, visit www.nextgengvl.org

###

CONTACT:

Susan Durden | 864-735-7516 | sdurden@nextsc.org

DIG SOUTH Announces Partnership with College of Charleston to host 10th Annual DIG SOUTH Tech Summit

The Summit to include tech founders, investors, entrepreneurs and executives from leading global brands and the South’s most scalable startups

Charleston, S.C. – October 26, 2021 – DIG SOUTH Tech Summit, the South’s first and foremost event connecting leading global brands to the South’s most scalable startups, today announced a partnership with the College of Charleston to host the 10-year anniversary of the Summit, May 11-13, 2022, at the College of Charleston’s TD Arena, the place where DIG SOUTH first launched the event in 2013.

“The College of Charleston is excited to partner with DIG SOUTH again and to serve for the next five years as the physical home of their annual tech summit, which brings to Charleston many of the country’s top minds related to technology, business and innovation,” said College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu. “The team at DIG SOUTH, led by CEO and Founder Stanfield Gray and CFO Sunny Gray, has done a remarkable job of building and expanding ‘Dig Nation’ over the past decade in order to assist and support businesses in their networking, marketing and talent acquisition needs.”

Each year, DIG SOUTH invites the South’s top executives, entrepreneurs, startups and leading global brands to convene in Charleston for three exciting days of inspiration, networking, fundraising and strategic know-how. The 2022 theme for DIG SOUTH Tech Summit is “Resilience.” Attendees will learn strategies to make their companies and themselves more resilient in disruptive times. DIG SOUTH Tech Summit delivers the best contacts, content and capital opportunities in the South.

Scheduled for May 11-13 at the College of Charleston’s TD Arena and other select venues on the Charleston peninsula, the Summit will feature sessions on topics including fintech, blockchain, crypto, digital marketing and adtech, console and mobile gaming, AI, VR, AR, IoT, business development, venture capital and fundraising, healthtech, transportation, storytelling and more.

“We’re honored to bring DIG SOUTH Tech Summit back to the College of Charleston, hosting some of the nation’s top tech executives, founders, investors and ecosystem leaders on campus and directly connecting them to the College’s students, faculty and staff,” said DIG SOUTH CEO & Founder Stanfield Gray.

DIG SOUTH Tech Summit Badges

DIG SOUTH Tech Summit badges are complimentary with the purchase of an annual membership to DIG NATION: The South’s Tech Tribe, found at dignation.co, or can be purchased separately at digsouthtechsummit.com.

DIG SOUTH Wild Pitch Application

The call for startups to join DIG SOUTH Wild Pitch, held on the last day of the Summit, May 13, 2022, is now open. Billed as “The South’s Capitol of Capital,” Wild Pitch features early- and growth-stage companies. Startups can apply for selection to DIG SOUTH Wild Pitch at digsouthtechsummit.com.

DIG SOUTH Tech Summit Speaker Lineup

Past speakers have included VaynerMedia CEO and internet personality Gary Vaynerchuk, Roadie CEO and founder Marc Gorlin, Casper Co-founder and CEO Phiip Krim, Jet.com President Liza Landsman, Essentialism author and podcaster Greg McKeown, and tech leaders from IBM, Twitter, Blackbaud, BoomTown, Revolution Ventures, Benefitfocus, Oracle, Dolby.io, Sharp and hundreds of others over the last nine years. The lineup for 2022 will be announced in January of 2022.

TESTIMONIALS

“I believe there is an enormous opportunity for some of the biggest brands in the world, biggest companies in the world at DIG SOUTH,” said Gary Vaynerchuk, best-selling author, marketing expert and CEO of VaynerMedia.

“DIG SOUTH is a fantastic meeting ground for entrepreneurs and investors,” said Bobby Ocampo, managing partner at Blueprint Equity. “This event is a must for anyone involved in the technology scene in the Southeast.”

“DIG SOUTH connects many of the nation’s leading experts in digital technology, marketing and business to the South’s smartest startups,” said DIG SOUTH co-founder Sunny Gray. “From global brands like Oracle, Forbes, Under Armour and VF Corporation to regional industry leaders like Benefitfocus, Blackbaud, Terminus and Smashing Boxes, DIG SOUTH welcomes the best of the best.”

ABOUT THE 2022 DIG SOUTH TECH SUMMIT

Now in its 10th year, DIG SOUTH Tech Summit is the only event purpose-built to grow the South’s digital economy. The Summit invites the region’s top executives, founders, entrepreneurs and leading global brands to convene in Charleston for three exciting days of inspiration, networking, fundraising and strategic know-how. The 2022 Summit theme is “Resilience.” Attendees will hear the story of emerging tech, rapid business growth, digital marketing and more from people succeeding in the game right now.

ABOUT DIG SOUTH TECH SUMMIT

Produced by DIG SOUTH Tech Media, over the last nine years, DIG SOUTH Tech Summit has welcomed more than 12000 attendees and 1000 speakers from the world’s leading brands, including Oracle, VaynerMedia, Salesforce, Hubspot, Buzzfeed, Casper, Jet.com, Google, Instagram, IBM, Boeing, Centro, Twitter, The New York Times, Facebook, Adobe, Kickstarter, Fast Company, Coca-Cola, Instagram and hundreds more. DIG SOUTH focuses on connecting those brands to the South’s most scalable tech and tech-enabled companies.

Track #1 EMERGING TECHNOLOGY

Emerging Tech dives into the latest software and hardware innovations related to SaaS, Apps, CRM, CMS, AI, AR, VR, MR, IoT, Robotics, Machine Learning, Cybersecurity, Wearables, Video, IP, Mobile, Transportation, Energy, Product Development and more.

Track #2: DIGITAL MARKETING

Digital Marketing delves into all things driving MarTech and Sales, including Multi-Channel Demand Generation, Digital Advertising, Social Media, SEO, Customer Experience, Data-Driven Approaches, Account-Based Marketing, Inbound, Content, Viral Video, Design and more.

Track #3: BUSINESS GROWTH

Business Growth explores Business Development, Go-to-Market Strategies, Growth Hacking, Recruitment, Accelerators, Incubators, Diversity, Office Culture, Startup Ecosystems, M&A, Exit Strategies and all things related to scaling companies.

Track #4: FINTECH-BLOCKCHAIN-INVESTMENT

FinTech-Blockchain-Investment focuses on innovations in Fintech software, Funding vehicles such as Angels, VCs, Family Funds and Crowdfunding, plus the underpinning architecture and rapidly evolving applications for Blockchain including Bitcoin, Hyperledger, Smart Contracts, Cybersecurity, FinTech, ICOs, Tokenized Securities, Cryptocurrency, Healthcare, Government, Gaming, Utility Tokens and more.

Learn More: Register at digsouthtechsummit.com or email info@digsouth.com for details. Find us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/digsouth, Twitter: @DIG_SOUTH, Facebook: facebook.com/DigSouth and Instagram: @DIGSOUTH.

Media Contacts:

Stanfield Gray

DIG SOUTH

(843) 478-1167

stanfieldgray@digsouth.com

digsouthtechsummit.com

NEXT Venture Pitch 2021 Sets Record

More Venture Capital Firms in Greenville for the Sixth Annual Signature Event

Three Judges Selections Awarded from 100 Applicants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- September 17, 2021 (Greenville, SC) – Over 20 VCs representing world-class funds from across the country gathered yesterday to judge our top eight finalists and select their choice to take the stage at next month’s Venture Atlanta. The event was the culmination of a months-long effort narrowing down 100 applicants from all over the Carolinas to just one startup to represent the Upstate at one of the Southeast’s most prestigious events.

Anduin, an AI solution proven to speed up billing and cash flow for accounting firms, took home the coveted Judges’ Choice and is delighted to pitch at Venture Atlanta. “I’m grateful for the opportunity and want to thank NEXT Upstate for giving our Anduin A-Team this award. Justin Adams, founder and CEO of Anduin. We work hard and know we are onto something big. Having the opportunity to get in front of an audience like this is important for us. Thank you!”

The three Judges’ Selections were:

From left: Tyler Traudt, CEO of Debtbook; Ryan Johnston and Ryan Heafy, Co-founders of 6AM City; Bob Quinn, Executive Director of SCRA; Shontavia Johnson, Associate Vice President for Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Carlos Phillips, President of Greenville Chamber; Justin Adams, Founder of Anduin; Paige McPheely, CEO/Founder of Base.

A sold-out Greenville One Center saw all eight founders think on their feet as they fielded tough, pointed questions from some of the top minds in venture investing and entrepreneurship. The event was highlighted by “profiles in entrepreneurship” – three fireside chats offering often candid glimpses inside the success stories of founders, investors and the winding road it takes to get to the top.

An interesting twist this year brought seven VC firms from the West Coast to evaluate two startups remotely. This hybrid model brought the attention of firms like Kleiner Perkins, GV (Google Ventures) and Intel Capital whose eyes were opened to the potential of Greenville.

“The NEXT team put on a great program. Really punched above its weight with this showcase of the Greenville region and the high-growth companies that are coming out of here,” said Don Rainey, General Partner of Grotech Ventures. “There’s no doubt in my mind we’re just scratching the surface and I can’t wait to watch this takeoff.”

NEXT Venture Pitch would not be possible without the support of sponsors like Clemson University, SCRA, Kopis, Elliott Davis, the Greenville Area Development Corporation, the Greenville Local Development Corporation, Hughes Development, JP Morgan Chase and Knoll Ventures. NEXT Venture Pitch will be back in 2022, exact dates to be determined.

ABOUT NEXT VENTURE PITCH

Now in its sixth iteration, the NEXT Venture Pitch Conference is a half-day venture capital conference that brings together high-growth entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, world-class speakers, and more to establish Greenville as an innovation and entrepreneurship hub in the southeast. For more information, visit https://www.nextventurepitch.com/

ABOUT NEXT

CONTACT:

Susan Durden | 864-735-7516 | sdurden@nextsc.org

NEXT Announces New Executive Director

Eric Weissmann Hired to Lead the Upstate Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 19, 2021

(Greenville, SC)- Entrepreneur Eric Weissmann is the new Executive Director of NEXT, an entrepreneur support organization in Greenville, SC that has impacted more than 120 companies, who in turn have raised $28 million in capital. NEXT provides connections to mentoring, capital, facilities, and access to a peer community of aspiring founders across the region.

Weissmann was part of the founding team at Cintrifuse, a similar ecosystem catalyst, in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he serves as Vice President of External Relations. Weissmann launched “StartupCincy,” an initiative that started as a simple social media hashtag and bloomed into a full-fledged, connected community. He previously worked in the marketing and creative services industries. Weissmann has helped establish the Disney Cruise Line brand leading up to the maiden voyage of the Disney Magic.

“I’m excited by the opportunity and encouraged by the amount of collaboration I already see in the Greenville community,” said Weissmann. “We’re at a unique moment in time where cities across the country are fostering entrepreneurship by leveraging their unique strengths to attract talent and dollars with the goal of increasing economic development. Greenville’s got the raw materials to make a huge impact on the region and I’m ready to get to work!”

Find Great People led a nationwide, comprehensive search. The interview committee selected Weissmann because of his extensive experience developing innovation ecosystems, supporting entrepreneurs in securing venture capital, leading diversity and inclusion programs, and supporting ventures from concept to exit.

“Eric embodies the qualities we desired in the leader of NEXT: a proven leader with experience building world-class ecosystems for start-ups and developing innovative, collaborative teams and communities where entrepreneurs can thrive,” said Carlos Phillips, Greenville Chamber President/CEO.

NEXT was founded in 2006 and has three locations including NEXT Innovation, NEXT on Main and NEXT Manufacturing.

“As we look to the future, NEXT has a goal of tripling investment in the entrepreneurial ecosystem that we serve,” said Scott Millwood, Chair of NEXT. “Under Weissmann’s leadership, we are confident NEXT will have the strategic and visionary leadership needed to accomplish these goals.”

The City of Greenville is a primary investor in NEXT, as part of its Economic Development strategy to attract small and medium sized companies that provide high wage, knowledge-based jobs.

“NEXT is the vehicle the city utilizes to support early-stage scalable businesses,” said Greenville City Manager John McDonough. “We ‘get’ entrepreneurs and the dreams that drive them. Hiring a founder who has successfully started companies, grown companies and marketed companies, to lead the NEXT organization showcases our commitment to becoming “the place” for brilliant minds to start and grow their business.”

Weissmann is expected to begin in September.

ABOUT NEXT

NEXT, launched as a production of the Greenville Chamber in 2006, is an entrepreneurial support organization that attracts and helps high-impact, knowledge-based companies grow by developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem and connecting entrepreneurs to it. NEXT currently supports over 120 knowledge-based companies in Upstate South Carolina. For more information, visit www.nextgengvl.org