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DOING BUSINESS HERE

entrepreneurial resources

The Charleston region provides an extensive network of support and resources for both startups and established companies. A spirit of collaboration sets Charleston’s business community apart. It’s welcoming. We want you to succeed. Our leaders are always willing to collaborate, contemplate, cooperate and are committed to pushing the region forward.

With a collaborative creative community, supportive entrepreneurial network, skilled talent pool, numerous colleges, startup incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, code education programs/camps, tech conferences, meetups and user groups, Charleston offers the ideal environment for entrepreneurs to thrive in a metro that consistently tops the World’s Best Cities lists.

Charleston metro ranked #12 in U.S. for first fundings by deal concentration per capita in 2014.

The Place to Launch

Succeed & Thrive

SPACES & SUPPORT
CAPITAL
INITIATIVES

At 401 East Cooper Tech Incubator

An organic space for startups to grow their businesses and prepare for expansion and investment. @401 seeks out companies that are unique and have the perfect mixture of vision, ingenuity, teach ability and the drive to grow.

Charleston Digital Corridor (CDC)

Nurtures and promotes the area’s knowledge economy by fostering a business, physical and social environment where technology companies can succeed. Support includes: incubation facilities, talent development, capital resources, and community events.

Coleman Executive Center

Located in Mount Pleasant near the Ravenel Bridge, it offers a variety of office spaces and business services for startups and established companies looking to minimize overhead.

Holy City Collective

A coworking and meeting space launched in the Daniel Island Corridor. Serves an array of entrepreneurs and organizations.

The Harbor Entrepreneur Centers

A 10,000sqft shared workspace in downtown Charleston. The Harbor’s space is aligned with its mission to create collision in the entrepreneur community.

The Hub

The Hub Collaborative Workspaces in North Charleston is a business-center designed to help professionals work alongside like-minded professionals in a vibrant, upscale, and modern corporate space.

IAN Zucker Institute for Applied Neurosciences

ZIAN is the Medical University of South Carolina’s engine for inspiring clinicians to solve unmet needs for patients. They supply the talent, tools and capital necessary to accelerate innovation and commercialize class-leading medical device technology.

InnoLabs Charleston

A coworking space and technology hub located in Mt. Pleasant, SC. It's a community built by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs to work on their businesses, learn new ideas, mentor one another, and grow to the next level.

Local Works

A place for entrepreneurs to collaborate, co-create, and harness the energy and support of other local business owners so that all can thrive. Developed by Lowcountry Local First.

Lowcountry Innovation Center

Offers quality office space at below market rates and creates a supportive environment for emerging companies to succeed.

1600 Meeting Street

A local creative cluster providing office space, art + design studios, non-profit hub, community resource center, local food + drink and a collaborative work environment.

Office Evolution

Located on historic King Street, Office Evolution Charleston has everything you need to grow your business, with professional office space for rent. Our Downtown Charleston office space rental options put you in control, so you can focus on working instead of finding a workspace.

Reforge Charleston

Reforge Charleston is an educational, 501(c)(3) Charitable Non-Profit makerspace in Charleston, SC. It provides a facility for people to utilize tools, equipment, and teach classes for everyone.

Regus

Multiple locations throughout Charleston offer spaces for offices, meetings, and co-working, providing solutions for businesses of any size.

Narrative Workspace

A co-working space in Mt. Pleasant offering executive offices or dedicated desks for professionals, startups, or entrepreneurs looking for a flexible, turnkey office solution, without a long-term commitment.

SCRA

SCRA Applied Technologies Center in Summerville is a 10-acre location situated at Exit 199 off I-26. It offers flexible, modular office configurations, 24/7 security monitoring, administrative assistance, network access, parking, and meeting rooms.

Serendipity Labs

Ease back into work in Serendipity Lab’s full-service professional environments, designed to provide ample individual space and plenty of room to help you feel safe.

The Workshops at Howard Heights

The Workshops at Howard Heights LLC is committed to offering reasonably priced light-industrial workspace and a collaborative and supportive creative environment for craftspeople, makers, and tinkerers in the central North Charleston neighborhood, Howard Heights.

Venture X Charleston – Garco Mill

A modern coworking space offering its members a shared, flexible workspace with a community of like-minded business professionals. Our members include entrepreneurs, established businesses, startups, and small- to medium-sized businesses. With boutique hotel-style hospitality, you and your team are going to love it here.
Alerion Ventures

Alerion Ventures is an evergreen venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments in scalable startups. Based in Charleston, SC, Alerion partners with entrepreneurs throughout the Southeast.

Broadtree Partners

Broadtree Partners is a group of entrepreneurial investors focused on acquiring businesses where the owners are looking to transition from their current roles. Specializing in providing opportunities for owners to smoothly exit their companies and seamlessly change leadership, while preserving their legacy.

Cap A Partners

Located in Charleston, the fund seeks new leaders of innovation in the Southeastern U.S., investing in a variety of sectors, including technology, consumer products & services, healthcare, industrial & materials technologies, and cleantech.

Capital Solutions Group

The Capital Solutions Group is a private advisory firm providing financial advisory services to closely-held companies, Private Equity firms, and lenders in the Middle Market.

Charleston Angel Partners

Screens and evaluates qualified start-up businesses seeking seed capital. Goal is to help support high growth economic development in the Charleston region.

Charleston Deal Alliance

A membership organization where you can expand your network and discover new opportunities.

Charles Towne Holdings, LLC

Charles Towne Holdings provides Capital Markets, Investment Banking, and Financial Advisory Solutions to middle market companies, private equity groups, venture funds, family offices, and commercial lenders on a global basis.

Dandelion M & A

Dandelion M & A is headquartered in Charleston SC and has team members in Charlotte, Atlanta and Charleston. Our services range from valuations, buyer and seller representation, capital raising, and exit planning.

EPI Group

EPI Group, based in Charleston, SC, owns a range of operating platforms across multiple sectors, targeting new companies between $2M and $20M of EBITDA.

Gold Ridge Asset Management

Gold Ridge is a private equity and investment firm with offices in Connecticut and Charleston, South Carolina. Focused on investments in micro cap companies with positive cash flow, valuations typically less than $10 million, and primarily located on the East Coast.

Good Growth Capital

A venture capital fund focused on early stage technology companies, primarily in South Carolina and the Southeast.

GreenShoot Capital

Provider of Equity Capital for companies under $30M in revenue: focuses exclusively on investing in small, profitable companies. Partner for management teams / owners seeking liquidity, generational transition, capital for growth or recapitalization.

Hummingbird Search Partners

Hummingbird is a different kind of private equity firm. We are committed to achieving fair acquisition terms based on your needs as founder or owner, and to running your business with hands-on care post-acquisition. Our partners are focused on opportunities that provide long-term growth. Our goal is to succeed by preserving and building upon your legacy.

Intermont Partners

Intermont Partners is a private investment firm that seeks to invest in companies operating in a variety of industries in the Southeastern United States.

Material Capital Partners

Provider of Equity Capital for companies under $30M in revenue: focuses exclusively on investing in small, profitable companies. Partner for management teams / owners seeking liquidity, generational transition, capital for growth or recapitalization.

Route 2 Capital Partners

Dual-headquartered in Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina, Route 2 Capital is a private investment firm providing junior capital to companies across the Southern United States.

SC Launch

Helps develop and fund tech-based industries throughout South Carolina investing $200,000+ into selected startups.

Sequence Financial Specialists

Sequence Financial Specialists LLC is an Investment Banking firm, headquartered in Charleston, SC, that focuses primarily on the following services: Raising Capital for Alternative Investment Fund Sponsors, Raising Capital for Real Estate Developers Internationally via the EB-5 Program, Buy/Sell Side M&A Advisory and Debt Restructuring.

Stage 2 Capital

Stage 2 Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage B2B software companies, and sits shoulder-to-shoulder with management teams to operationalize sustainable revenue growth and sales operations.

Third Prime Capital

A private equity fund which invests in early stage private companies. Offices in New York, NY and Charleston, SC.

TrueNorth

TrueNorth provides advisory services to companies seeking advice for middle market M&A, capital raising or business valuations. Our focus on the middle market enables us to provide independent, value-added advisory services to privately-held companies and corporate clients, both domestic and international, across a broad range of industries.

VentureSouth Charleston

VentureSouth develops and manages angel groups and funds with 13 groups consisting of more than 300 accredited investors across the Southeast.
Charleston Women in Tech

A collaborative effort of Charleston's women leaders, educators, and tech professionals to connect, support and prepare women of all ages in the technology industry in Charleston, SC.

Charleston Open Source

A tech talent attraction campaign and website where tech professionals share all that’s amazing about working in Charleston. It’s a place to find your spot, make a connection, and land the tech job that fits you best.

Charleston Supply Chain Meetup

The mission of The Charleston Supply Chain Meetup (#TCHSSCM) is to nurture and grow the world's foremost open, global, and multidisciplinary community of people devoted to building the supply chain networks of the future.

Creative Mornings

A breakfast lecture series for the creative community.

DIG SOUTH

The Southeast U.S.’s interactive festival held annually in Charleston. 200+ presenters, 650 companies, and 5000+ attendees explore technology, entrepreneurship, media, marketing, and culture. Includes Conference, Show, DemoDay, HackCharleston, Wild Pitch, Shindigs and more.

The Harbor Entrepreneur Centers

Offers a 14-week business accelerator program that introduces entrepreneurs to high impact business concepts during an intense curriculum led by successful mentors.

One Million Cups Charleston

An event for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to the thriving peer network of founders in Charleston. The coffee is highly encouraged.

Scribble

Scribble is South Carolina’s content toolkit for the pursuit of innovation. Launch into inspirational sessions with innovators across the state and beyond.

Startup Grind Charleston

Local Chapter of Google for Entrepreneurs’ global initiative. Educates, inspires and connects entrepreneurs during monthly events featuring successful local founders, innovators, educators, and investors.

Startup Weekend Charleston

WEofC is a community platform that connects women entrepreneurs to women experts.

Women Entrepreneurs of Charleston

WEofC is a community platform that connects women entrepreneurs to women experts.

Riley Csernica

MS, MBA, Co-Founder
Tarian Orthotics, LLC

"Charleston has provided my startup with mentoring, seed capital, and affordable office space that allowed my entrepreneurial dreams to become reality. In order to grow the entrepreneurial community, we must not overlook or underestimate the next generation of entrepreneurs."