Tailwind Tech Summit
2026-05-04 09:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | DoubleTree by Hilton Columbia
The Tailwind Tech Summit is South Carolina’s premier gathering for founders, investors, and builders who believe the best chapter is still being written.
We bring together early-stage startups ready to scale, active investors looking for their next great bet, and the service providers, mentors, and community leaders who make it all possible.
This isn’t another conference where you trade business cards and forget names by Tuesday. Tailwind is designed from the ground up to create real relationships, real deals, and real momentum for the region’s most ambitious builders.
We’re holding a seat for you.

Line Up:

Every hour is engineered for impact. Here’s how the day unfolds.

8:30A – Registration & Networking

9:30A – Keynote: Dan Roselli

10:45A – Panel: Beyond the Glass Screen: Women Driving Technology Forward

11:45A – Lunch & Networking

1:00P – Keynote: Jim Roberts

2:00P – Breakout Sessions

3:00P – The Pitch Deck (moderated by Taylor McLemore)

Science Cafe
2026-05-04 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | M. Judson Booksellers, 130 South Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Topic: “Own the Shift: From Concept to Reality in Business and Career”
In today’s environment, career paths and businesses are no longer linear: they are shaped through intentional pivots, experimentation, and ownership. This session explores how women in organizations and in business can move from idea to execution while simultaneously redefining their professional identity. Through a short speech and guided discussion, participants will reflect on what it truly takes to “own the shift” and turn uncertainty into momentum.
The session will be facilitated by Anastasia Mizitova, SCP, PCC, CEO of Talent14, global speaker, and author of Your Career Your Way. She has built and leads global business initiatives, serves as SHRM faculty, and previously served on the SHRM Board at HRVA. Anastasia is also an executive coach with Blanchard, bringing a practical, real-world perspective on career growth, leadership, and transformation.
Questions for discussion:
– What shift are you currently navigating in your career or business — and what makes it challenging to fully own it?
– Think of a time when you successfully moved an idea forward. What specifically helped you turn that concept into action?
– Who are the 2–3 types of people or connections that make the biggest difference when bringing an idea to life?
– How do you know when it’s time to pivot your business idea?

Test event
2026-05-05 08:00 - 17:00 UTC | test venue, xyz, new york, AL, 400423, United States

Fix My Pitch Workshop Series #2: Design
2026-05-05 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Part of the Fix My Pitch Workshop Series
Not a designer? Not “artsy”? This workshop is for you.
You do not need to be a designer to make your pitch look strong. But you do need to understand the basics.
In this workshop, Ross McClain, Head of the Art Department at Furman University, will break down the core principles of design in a way that is practical and approachable for founders. Learn what makes a presentation feel clear, cohesive, and credible and why certain slides work while others fall flat.
Whether you are refining an investor deck, a sales presentation, or client materials, this session will help you make more confident design decisions.

Empowering Entrepreneurship
2026-05-06 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Avenue, 110 E Court St Suite 600, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
A celebration of Small Business Week and the achievements of entrepreneurs and community champions.

CommunityWorks is excited to host our Second Annual Empowering Entrepreneurship event on Wednesday, May 6th, at Avenue in downtown Greenville, SC. Join us for an inspiring evening as we celebrate Small Business Week 2026 and recognize the resilience, innovation, and impact of local entrepreneurs and community champions. This special event will feature food, drinks, networking, and an awards ceremony honoring outstanding small businesses and organizations that are making a difference in our community.
We welcome entrepreneurs, community members, partners, and supporters to attend as we come together to recognize the vital role small businesses play in shaping strong, thriving communities. This event is designed to bring people together to celebrate success stories, build connections, and highlight the power of entrepreneurship.
To celebrate the accomplishments of our local small businesses and organizations, we will present three awards:
Community Champion Award – Recognizing a business, nonprofit, or organization that has gone above and beyond to uplift the community through advocacy, partnership, and service.
Emerging Small Business Award – Celebrating a rising small business that has demonstrated innovation, resilience, and strong potential for long-term success.
Business Excellence Award – Honoring an established small business that continues to thrive, lead, and contribute to the strength of our local economy.
This event is an opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, business leaders, and community supporters who share a passion for small business success. Join us as we celebrate those driving growth and making a lasting impact. Contact CommunityWorks Communications Coordinator Madi Coggin at mcoggin@cwcarolina.org or 864-235-6331 ext 502 for more information.

SUDs (Startup Drinks)
2026-05-07 16:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Southernside Brewing Co, 25 Delano Dr., Greenville, SC, United States
SUDs, short for Startup Drinks is back! This unstructured networking event is open to entrepreneurs, ecosystem allies, and all community members of the #StartupGVL ecosystem. The first drink is free, so get this one on your calendars.

Founder Series Greenville
2026-05-09 09:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | Venture X, 141 Traction St, Greenville, SC, United States
Join the Lovable Founder Series at Venture X in Greenville, hosted by Cassandra! Spend the morning learning from experienced builders, exploring what’s possible with Lovable, and meeting local founders, creatives, and aspiring entrepreneurs who are using AI to turn ideas into real-world solutions. Whether you’re sitting on a startup idea, exploring a side hustle, or just curious about building something of your own – this is a space to learn, experiment, and get inspired. 🗓️ Saturday, May 9, 2026 ⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM 📍 Venture X Greenville Who is this for? – Aspiring founders who have an idea but don’t know how to get started – Career-changers exploring entrepreneurship or side hustles – Students or recent grads looking to build something of their own – Anyone in the community who is ready to ship something real with Lovable.

i4 Series: Build it. Guarantee it. Sell it. A founder's unfiltered story.
2026-05-12 16:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Elias Bustos guaranteed his software would work. In 20 years, he never paid out once. Then he sold for millions. Come hear how.

Most vendors who try to sell into the nonprofit world fail, not because their product isn’t good, but because they never took the time to understand how nonprofits actually work. The budgets are different. The decision-making is different. The rules are different and if you get it wrong, you won’t get a second chance.
Elias spent 20 years figuring all of that out and built a software company so effective he backed every engagement with a 10–12% profitability guarantee. In two decades, not a single client ever needed to collect. Then he sold his company for millions.
Join us for a fireside chat as Elias sits down with Doug Kim, founder of the Kim, Lahey & Killough Law Firm who was there from the earliest days of the company through the closing of the sale, to unpack the full story.

Innovation Exchange
2026-05-13 09:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | The 405, 405 Westfield St, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Innovation Exchange connects senior enterprise leaders with curated early-stage companies to surface real business challenges and explore aligned solutions.
This is not a demo day or vendor expo. It’s a structured working session designed to clarify enterprise demand and foster meaningful, high-value conversations.
What to ExpectA limited number of startups will be selected through an application process to present solutions aligned with clearly defined enterprise priorities. Pitch sessions are followed by structured, small-group exchanges designed to validate fit, explore applicability, and encourage thoughtful discussion — without procurement pressure. With curated participation and limited capacity, conversations remain focused, candid, and actionable.
Who Should Attend• Enterprise leaders responsible for innovation, technology, operations, or strategic growth• Startups building enterprise-facing solutions• Investors seeking visibility into emerging enterprise demand

Code & Crush
2026-05-13 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
STOP LETTING TECH COMPANIES
HAVE ALL THE GOOD STUFF.

You’re running an entire organization on limited resources — and somehow still expected to “figure out AI.” This event is different.
Most AI advice is built for tech companies. This session is different — hands-on, no-fluff, with live demos, practical use cases, and real conversations about where AI actually makes an impact.
Code & Crush = Code & Trust’s product designers + Crushable’s engineers.
From operations to fundraising to day-to-day efficiency — we’ll cover where AI actually works and how to put it into action. No buzzwords. No theory. Just things you can actually use.
Come ready to take what works and put it into action.

Office Hours with Sam English
2026-05-15 09:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Raising capital from pre‑seed to Series A is harder than ever, but founders don’t have to navigate it alone. Sam will be hosting office hours at NextGEN to dig into funding strategy, investor readiness, and how to align a startup with the right capital sources. He’ll break down the major pathways, angels, seed funds, venture, and grants, and what it takes to position a company for each. Entrepreneurs and founders are invited to bring their questions about angels, funds, and non‑dilutive capital.
Sam brings 25 years of experience in the trenches of tech commercialization and early‑stage investing, building companies, backing founders, and strengthening the ecosystems that help them grow. He co-founded and led four tech startups, oversaw due diligence for pre-seed and seed investments, helped launch a 100-member angel group, and helped establish a new accelerator program and facility. As a founder and advisor, he has raised over $8M in angel capital, helped structure capital vehicles ranging from a $12M regional investment fund to multimillion-dollar grant and equity programs. He has advised more than 15 startups and mentored dozens of founders. Currently, he runs the VMS mentoring program at NextGEN.
Sign up for a time slot: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Wwl9TMiKPMGh5tHXowFM-DVVHJmqV2YIBCuRzRyaCus/edit?usp=sharing

Game Night
2026-05-16 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Join us for Game Night at Bletchley Commons – a relaxed evening of free pizza, board games, and new friends. Whether you’re into classics like Uno, party favorites, or strategy games like Catan, we’ll have something for everyone.
Open to all members, students, and young adults aged 16-25, as well as their guests.
Bring a friend, or come solo and meet new ones.
Why come?
🍕 Free pizza (enough said)
🎲 Tons of board & card games
🌟 A chance to meet other game lovers in Greenville

Pixel Pushers
2026-05-18 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
​Hey pixel pushers in the Greenville area. We’re looking to to get a taste of some good design, developer, and web creator community in Greenville. Let’s spend some time together and get some good vibes from your local internauts.
This session featuring Heather Haley, SVP and Managing Director of Production at Working Title Partners. She’ll be sharing the process behind a recent ad spot her team put together that aired during the World Series. And of course, there will be plenty of pizza, beer, NA drinks and convos to go around.

Village Launch BEA Graduation
2026-05-19 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Long Branch Baptist Church, 28 Bolt Street, Greenville, SC, 29605, United States
Join us as we celebrate our Business Entrepreneur Academy Graduates! Graduation will be held at Long Branch Baptist Church, and will include presentations from the graduating businesses. Come help us support these incredible small business owners!

1st Annual Golden Day at BridgeWay Station
2026-05-23 14:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Bridgeway Station, 1000 Via Corso Ave, Simpsonville, SC, 29681, United States
Presented by Good Dogs of Greenville, GoldenDay is Greenville’s first-ever golden retriever community gathering — inspired by the viral golden meetups happening in cities across the U.S.

Imagine:
✨ Hundreds of golden retrievers
✨ Smiling dog parents everywhere
✨ A curated dog-friendly vendor market
✨ Photo-worthy moments at every turn
If you have a golden — bring them.
If you love goldens — come anyway.
If you just need a serotonin boost — we’ve got you. 💛🐕

Office Hours with Clay Johnson & Tony Nolte
2026-05-29 11:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
If you have fundraising-related questions or you’re in need of some one-on-one legal advice for your startup or small business, Clay Johnson & Tony Nolte are available for free, 30 minute time slots to talk through your business with you.
Clay sign up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1GeUASYGm4LGQtlwEY8qn9QHHJDbqrI0X1RRvSu5sWZ8/edit?usp=sharing
Tony sign up here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12VabC5ozwR6hBwJNaZITcTY5oa5zuqENUuH0fT1T6_A/edit?usp=sharing

Fix My Pitch Workshop Series #3: Creative Tools
2026-06-02 10:00 - 11:30 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Part of the Fix My Pitch Workshop Series
You do not need expensive software or a full creative team to improve your pitch. You just need to know which tools to use and how to use them well.
This workshop focuses on practical, accessible tools that founders can start using immediately, including platforms like Canva and other easy-to-use design resources. Learn how to build clean slides, improve visual consistency, and avoid common mistakes that undermine credibility.
Walk away with tools, templates, and confidence to elevate your pitch without overcomplicating it.

Village Launch Night Market
2026-06-05 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Village Launch Market, 1225 Pendleton Street, Greenville, SC, 29611, United States
Join us for another Mill Village Night Market! We’ll have food trucks, beer, and 20+ vendors at our Village Launch Market, along with live music. Come grab a bite, shop around, and enjoy an evening with Mill Village!

Village Launch Block Party
2026-06-06 10:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Village Launch Market, 1225 Pendleton Street, Greenville, SC, 29611, United States
Stop by our Mill Village Block Party for some fun for the whole family! Grab a bite to eat from one of our many food vendors and trucks, then shop at over 20 vendors at our Village Launch Market. We’ll have a FREE petting zoo, children’s activities, and a few surprises!

NextGEN Office Hours With ADP Greenville
2026-06-10 13:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Join us for Office Hours with Annamaria and Frannie from ADP, where founders can sign up for one-on-one sessions to receive personalized guidance from experienced business advisors. With expertise spanning sales and business development, supply chain and procurement, strategic consulting, HR and compliance, and organizational growth, they help entrepreneurs navigate the challenges of building and scaling a successful company. Whether you’re refining operations, developing your workforce strategy, or identifying opportunities for growth, these office hours offer practical insights and tailored support for your business.
Sign up link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Tra74_xsUKX0h-QXJQrApPb-N-EQKfLXT-l9CHrFCkE/edit?usp=sharing

Catalyzer: One To Many
2026-06-11 11:30 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Catalyzer tackles the challenge of scaling professional service businesses from a solo founder to a growing team.

Presenter: Brendan Lopes – Multipli Tech
Module 2: Building Your Pipeline

How do you balance production with customer acquisition?
Honing in on Customers’ Personas and their respective preferences
Efficiency – Networking and Conferences
Automation – Setting aside time to develop marketing automations and CRM integrations
Sales Discipline

Catalyzer focuses on the challenge of scaling up a professional service business from one (the founder) to many employees, and how to scale up a firm.
This is a quarterly event with monthly meet-ups in between. The quarterly events will be facilitated by professional firm leaders who have successfully scaled, and topics will include sales and marketing automation, avoiding the feast/famine loop, 1099s vs FTEs, productivity tools, and relevant legal and HR dos and don’ts.

West End Social
2026-06-11 17:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | hone, 12 Lois Ave, Greenville, 29611, United States
West End Social returns on Thursday, June 11 at Hone for an evening centered around food, community, and connection. This experience brings together Greenville’s entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals inside one of the city’s most exciting culinary spaces.

Guests will enjoy featured food experiences from Muni Muni, Sol GVL, and Sacrament Coffee, along with welcome drinks featuring Suntory-196 and a full cash bar.
The evening will also include music by vinyl DJ Illegal Since ’78 and activations from 40 Forty Padel Club, Evolve, and Mill Ministries. Top Shelf Media will be taking head shots and Oxford Barber will offer complimentary touchups and beard trims.

Business & Brews
2026-06-17 17:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | ZEN, 924 South Main St, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Join us for Business & Brews, where you can network with fellow professionals over a cold one and discuss all things business!

Business & Brews is a Professional networking social for community-engaged professionals of all walks of life across South Carolina. Free to attend and open to the public. This event will feature Eric Weissmann, Executive Director of NextGen. Eric will host a special panel discussion with some of the upstate’s rising entrepreneurs and visionaries.
The panelists will be:
Trent D. – Real Motors, Entrepreneur
Tom Brown – Am I Compliant, cofounder and CEO
Chelsea West – The Write Way, founder and CEO
Business & Brews is sponsored by Centervert, Piper Insurance, and Williams Wealth Management

Women's Coworking Day
2026-06-18 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | OpenWorks Coworking, 101 N Main Street Suite 302, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
​Join us on Thursday, June 18 from 10am – 5pm for the monthly free Women’s Coworking Day at OpenWorks Coworking.
​Arrive by 12:30pm to join us on our 30-minute netwalk break and we’ll end the day with a Good Things celebration toast to share small (and big) moments and wins from the past month.
​You can drop in anytime! Settle in for some focused work, creative time, or just enjoy a change of scenery. Connect with other women and our event partner Molly’s Moms, a nonprofit organization that helps moms turn ideas into income through free resources, mentorship, and a supportive community!
​Snacks will also be provided. RSVP to attend and get event updates. If it’s your first time visiting OpenWorks Coworking, check out our Guest Access page for tips on finding us and parking. We are located at ONE City Plaza in downtown Greenville.

Community Day
2026-06-24 09:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Flywheel’s Community Day is an opportunity for non-members to switch up their routine for the day, explore our space, make valuable connections, and still get work done. It is also a great opportunity for our Flywheel members to network and get to know these guests for a day.
Every fourth Wednesday of the month.

SC Business Accelerator Graduation
2026-06-25 08:30 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Members of the Greenville Chamber’s SC Business Accelerator’s year-long cohort will be graduating! This event is structured in a way that you can hop in and out throughout the day.
Schedule:
8:30 am: Breakfast/Networking
9:00 am: Pitch Sessions Begin
12:45 pm: Lunch
1:45 pm – 3:00 pm: Graduation

Marketing Basics For Small Businesses
2026-06-25 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
a practical, approachable workshop designed to help small business owners better understand the fundamentals of marketing

Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated. Join CommunityWorks and Alex Moore, Director of Marketing at ClickDimensions and owner of Alex Moore Marketing LLC, for a practical, approachable workshop designed to help small business owners better understand the fundamentals of marketing and how to create a strategy that supports their business goals.
In this session, you’ll learn how to align your marketing efforts with your business goals and target audience, identify effective marketing strategies, make the most of your time and resources, and avoid common marketing myths. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your approach, you’ll leave with actionable ideas and have the opportunity to get your marketing questions answered.
Thursday, June 25 | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Online via Zoom
Free to attend. Registration required.

NextGEN Office Hours With Matt Bell
2026-06-26 11:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | NEXT Innovation Center, 411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Join NextGEN for Office Hours with Matt Bell, where founders can sign up for one-on-one sessions to get personalized guidance from experienced operators and service providers.
Matt Bell is a venture capital leader with deep experience supporting early-stage technology companies. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of the SC Launch Inc. Investment Fund at the South Carolina Research Authority, where he helped invest in and grow startups across the state. His background also includes leadership roles at the University of Illinois’ Discovery Partners Institute and Cultivian Sandbox Ventures, where he focused on scaling innovation-driven companies.Sign up to meet with Matt → https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oAnEXSd4WC0AnUh6U7Wz8PHEmyA21WPgzMgjAgaUtSw/edit?usp=sharing

Pitch-Space Live
2026-07-07 17:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Doors open at 5:00, pitches start at 5:30! Watch startups pitch, get investor feedback, and join the audience Q&A.

Ready to witness the next wave of innovation?
Join us for an exciting pitch event where scalable, investor-ready founders take the stage to present their investment thesis to a panel of friendly, experienced investors. Whether you’re a startup founder looking for inspiration, an early-stage investor scouting your next opportunity, or simply a curious member of our community this one’s for you.
Come ready to listen, learn, and connect with the people building tomorrow’s companies — today.
Pitch-Space.com, powered by Flywheel with our title sponsor by Dualboot Partners, is a digital platform that connects investors to scalable technology startups that are sorted by Early, Seed, and Growth stages of development. Every month, we host a live event featuring pitches from each category with feedback from a panel of investors and open networking following, rotating in three regions. Open to all founders, investors, and interested community members. It’s a great way to make connections and learn about presenting to investors.

Launchpad Karaoke
2026-07-09 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Flywheel Coworking Greenville, 101 N Main Street, Greenville, SC, 29601, United States
Grab a mic, drop your inhibitions at the door, and get ready for Launchpad’s very first karaoke night. Liesel is rounding up the whole crew for an hour of glorious, off-key singing at Flywheel Coworking Greenville, because nothing builds team spirit quite like belting out your favorite anthem in front of your coworkers.
​Whether you’re a shower-singer finally coming out of hiding or the office extrovert who’s been waiting for this moment all year, there’s a spot on the playlist for you. Come cheer, come sing, come laugh way too hard at that one coworker who absolutely nails their song choice. See you Thursday!
