Partners
At the Don Ryan Center for Innovation, we are honored to be partnered with a number of dynamic organizations that enable us to provide the most comprehensive programs and services to our innovators and members. Our partners help us play a key role in the organizing, structuring and leading of local and regional economic development efforts, and we are honored to work with them as we partner for the success of our innovators, members and the entire community.
Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation (BCEDC)
The Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation (BCEDC) is the lead entity for organizing, structuring and leading economic development efforts on behalf of Beaufort County. Our vision is to recruit new private investment, create more job opportunities for residents, and diversify the economy through a healthy tax base.
The Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation will achieve its vision by working with public officials, key partners, business leaders, and the SouthernCarolina Regional Development Alliance, on the development of small business growth, technology-led growth, workforce development, light industrial sites, regulatory reform and other economic development initiatives necessary to support a healthy and growing economy.
Southern Carolina Alliance
Southern Carolina Alliance assists businesses in finding the perfect location for your company’s next project.
Their professional economic development team is prepared to quickly assess site location needs and present sites and existing buildings that will meet your business needs. Working with the South Carolina Department of Commerce, SouthernCarolina Alliance prepares incentive packages that are among the most competitive offer in the Southeastern United States. They will make available all of the necessary resources to assist you in making your location decision.
These include state and local economic development officials, utility representatives, tax and permitting experts and fellow executives doing business in our state. SouthernCarolina Alliance is a not-for-profit regional economic development partnership with the objective of recruiting industries to locate in South Carolina.
South Carolina Department of Commerce & Office of Innovation
The South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Office of Innovation is a strong partner of the Don Ryan Center for Innovation. The Center was awarded an Innovation Challenge Grant in 2015.
Technical College of the Lowcountry
The Technical College of the Lowcountry (TCL) not only is involved with their entrepreneurship courses but can also be brought in for technical and manufacturing consulting.
The University of South Carolina at Beaufort
We also encourage innovation and entrepreneurship with the University of South Carolina at Beaufort (USCB) and draw on their students to be involved in the Don Ryan Center for Innovation.
VentureSouth
The DRCI is partnered with VentureSouth, who operates angel investment groups and funds comprised of more than 300 accredited investors across the Southeast. This partnership gives DRCI startups “behind the scenes” access and education as they grow and learn to fund their new business venture.