SCRA reorganizes to boost startup support statewide

The South Carolina Research Authority has made organizational changes that its leaders hope will enable the organization to better support the state’s academic research, development and innovation startups.

Under the leadership of Lee MacIlwinen, SCRA‘s new chief program officer, the SC Launch program is further regionalizing its support with deployed staff and increased funding and resources to the state’s expanding markets, according to a news release. Those markets include the Aiken, Charleston, Columbia, Florence, Greenville and Rock Hill regions.

Senior investment managers Kevin Eichelberger in the Charleston region, Mitch Smith in the Columbia region, and Rob Moser in the Greenville region will lead each regional team. The regional leaders and their teams will work closely with Jeannine Rogers in her new role as director of program development to roll out new programs for the regions, the release stated. Catherine Hayes, in her new role as director of customer solutions, also will work with the leaders to connect industry partners with startups to facilitate market validation and accelerate industry adoption of new technologies from the startups. Other SCRA staff received new titles to align with regional teams.

“We are realigning our programs into our leading entrepreneurship program, SC Launch, with a regional focus to better serve our startups and academic institutions,” said SCRA Chief Program Officer Lee MacIlwinen in the release. “Whether a startup or academic project is ready to demonstrate its innovation to an industry partner, or a startup needs advisement, grant funding, or is ready for an equity investment, our team now has the resources to meet these needs.”

“We have a unique opportunity to lead initiatives that will have a positive and long-lasting impact in these areas of our state,” SCRA interim President and CEO Bill Kirkland said in the release. “They will accelerate bringing new products and services, made right here in South Carolina, to the market. All of this drives innovation and creates jobs.”

SCRA’s SC Launch program will award all existing grants to technology and academic-based startups, host regional networking events, and offer exclusive discounts and services through its member benefit program, according to the release, which said SCRA plans to announce new initiatives in the coming months.