Furman University is creating entrepreneurs in Greenville, thanks to collaboration and partnership.
Representatives from the private liberal arts institution told members of the Greenville City Council this week that collaborative efforts are paying off, as Greenville builds its reputation as an entrepreneurial hub.
“People are feeling the momentum,” said Brian Davis, executive director of The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the organization behind Furman’s entrepreneurial work. “They want to share and talk about the things that we’re doing.”
Beyond serving Furman students, The Hill Institute has community programs designed to create a startup and talent pipeline:
These programs align with four of the City of Greenville’s Economic Strategic goals: creating a best-in-class entrepreneurial ecosystem, attracting new investment, building and supporting a talent base of entrepreneurs, and ensuring a diversity of communities thrive across the City.
Since being established in 2018, the Hill Institute has seen quantifiable success, including:
GVL Starts is directly impacting other entrepreneur service organizations. According to Davis, 40% of applications submitted to the NEXTGen Business Accelerator were graduates of GVLStarts.
“We think about being a pipeline feeder,” Davis said. “This is working. We are populating each other’s programs to move things down the line and create a holistic success.”
Davis was joined at the council presentation by Greenville County Council Vice Chair Liz Seman, who also serves as Furman’s Chief of Staff and Liaison to Furman’s Board of Trustees, and the university’s provost, Beth Pontari.
Ian Thompson built Miracle Hummus with a simple goal in mind: to create something real that he could one day pass down to his family. With a background in mechanical engineering and a long-standing drive for entrepreneurship, Ian stepped away from the traditional career path to build a business rooted in ownership, health, and legacy.
Every startup has a pitch. But not every pitch is actually working.
Too often, founders are walking around with a deck or a one liner that explains what they do, but does not land, connect, or clearly communicate the value of what they are building. That is the gap NextGEN’s brand new Fix My Pitch program is designed to address.
One of the best things about Greenville’s entrepreneurial community is that there is no single way in. Some founders come through accelerators. Some start as side hustles. Others begin with a class, a skill, or a moment of curiosity.
This Tuesday, February 10, Greenville Literacy Association is launching a brand new program that adds another meaningful entry point into the local startup ecosystem.