SC Commerce awards $760K in Relentless grants

The South Carolina Department of Commerce  has awarded $760,000 in grants to 14 projects across the state through its 2026 Relentless Challenge program.

The Relentless Challenge is a statewide competitive grant program and is South Carolina’s call to action for innovative problem-solving and entrepreneurial impact, according to a Commerce Department news release. Aligned with the Launch to Legacy brand, the department’s vision to support businesses at every stage and position the state as the new home for American innovation.

The 2026 Relentless Challenge supports two complementary tracks: traditional small business and innovation.

While distinct in focus, both tracks share a common thread: empowering South Carolina’s businesses to launch, grow and innovate for long-term success, according to a news release.

Traditional small businesses form the backbone of local economies and play a vital role in sustained economic growth, the Commerce Department says. Innovation-driven companies, whether new or well-established, contribute to future advancement through R&D and product innovation. Together, they create a balanced ecosystem where stability and disruption coexist, enabling businesses to thrive and fueling statewide prosperity.

“South Carolina’s economic strength is built on both the small businesses that sustain our communities and the innovators shaping our future,” Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said in the release. “Through the Relentless Challenge and these 14 projects, we are investing in entrepreneurs and companies whose ideas will drive growth, advance innovation and create opportunity across our state.”

2026 Relentless Challenge grant recipient projects are due to begin in the first quarter of this year. The 14 recipient projects are:

BlacQuity – Lowcountry Black Business Capital & Growth Initiative (LBBCGI)

Center for Opportunity and Entrepreneurial Advancement (COEA) – Launch in 60 Marketplace

Clemson University Division of Research  – Bridging STEM and Entrepreneurship: A Paired Course Model for Commercialization Readiness

Economic Development Partnership of Aiken and Edgefield Counties, Inc.– Aiken Venture Lab

eMYRge – eMYRge Golf Tech Accelerator Challenge (GTAC)

Entrepreneurship For All – Capital Ready Lowcountry: Advancing Financial Opportunities and Connections for Small Businesses

Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce – The Network: Minority Business Accelerator Alumni Program

GrowCo Columbia Inc. – Boyd Innovation Center – GrowCo Fund: Establishing a Non-Profit Investments Fund for Scalable South Carolina Startups

Increasing H.O.P.E. – Ready to Grow: One-to-One Business Accelerator

Lowcountry Local First – Lowcountry Kiva Hub

Navigating from Good to Great Foundation – Columbia Chamber of Commerce – Wendell Jones Leadership Institute Growth Blueprint Midlands Business Accelerator

NextGEN – Fix My Pitch

Southern Palmetto Foundation – Propel Omni-Path: Digital Strategies for Rural Retail Business Success

The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University – The Future Catalyst Project.