South Carolina Research Authority

Created to facilitate applied research, product development and commercialization programs, and to strengthen South Carolina's Knowledge Economy by creating high wage-earning jobs. SC Launch provides entrepreneurs with key tools for success to help build technology startups, jobs and equity in the future for South Carolina. SC Launch provides access to business, academic and economic development entities through the SC Launch Resource Network. SC Launch is a collaboration among SCRA and South Carolina's university research foundations: Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina.

Derek Willis

Sr. Program Manager

Past deals in Southern US

Infinity Collar

Grant in 2022
Infinity Collar is the Fort Mill-based startup created the first and only fully portable and customizable pet containment system. It allows users to keep their pets safe wherever they go while also giving them the freedom to explore the area they are in without physical hardware constraints.

SiteMarker

Grant in 2022
SiteMarker is a Mt. Pleasant-based startup provides a software platform that collects and provides land development data in real time. The service is helpful for landowners, lenders, design firms, developers, contractors, inspectors, and municipalities.

Bird Dog Deals

Grant in 2022
Bird Dog Deals, LLC, is a Columbia-based real estate acquisition automation software company that streamlines underwriting for large investors looking to buy single family homes across the country.

Humimic Medical

Grant in 2022
Humimic Medical produces high-quality, professional, synthetic medical gelatins using state-of-the-art techniques. The gelatins products are used in medical research, simulations, and other types of health care training.
Integrated Micro-Chromatography Systems, LLC is a biotechnology company founded in 2012 and located in South Carolina. The company specializes in the development and distribution of innovative products and services aimed at precision medicine. Its key offerings include IMCSzyme, a genetically modified pure beta-glucuronidase, and IMCStips. These products are designed to serve various sectors, including clinical and forensic toxicology, university research, and health science organizations, as well as US federal government agencies. Through its advanced biotechnology solutions, Integrated Micro-Chromatography Systems supports the growing demand for precision in medical and scientific applications.

LifeTagger

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Proximity based content sharing platform

University of South Carolina Office of Economic Engagement

Grant in 2021
The Office of Economic Engagement is the single convergence point for industry, researchers, entrepreneurs and government officials looking to engage with UofSC.
Carolina Diagnostic Solutions provides diagnostic and treatment devices and services to manage chronic pulmonary diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, and COPD.

New Forge

Grant in 2021
New Forge is a system integrator and technology supplier of AR software and hardware. New Forge helps businesses reduce downtime and increase ROI with wearable solutions using augmented reality and assisted reality technologies.

Bird Dog Deals

Grant in 2021
Bird Dog Deals, LLC, is a Columbia-based real estate acquisition automation software company that streamlines underwriting for large investors looking to buy single family homes across the country.

GoodUnited

Grant in 2020
GoodUnited, Inc. operates a platform that enables nonprofits to connect and share campaigns with supporters through social links, email templates, and other marketing materials. GoodUnited, Inc. was formerly known as inKind, Inc. The company was incorporated in 2014 and is based in Charleston, South Carolina.

Confidence

Grant in 2020
Confidence is a haircare company developing products designed for African American hair. The company is also developing all-natural ingredients to produce organic hair formulas.
Blue Eye Soft is an IT Software Solutions company which focuses on providing right managed services, IT, Engineering solutions & Staff as per clients need.

Lydex Pharmaceuticals

Grant in 2020
Lydex Pharmaceuticals develops small molecule drug therapy for liver ischemia/reperfusion (IR) to prevent additional damage to the liver during surgical procedures and transplants.

Aravis BioTech

Grant in 2020
Aravis Biotech develops a medical device implant that will monitor the healing of hip surgery patients. The device provides information to the provider and the patient about when and how to begin weight-bearing activities.

Engin LLC

Grant in 2020
Engin LLC provides innovative solutions through collaboration, engineering, and design. Engin offers a range of mechanical design capabilities such as traditional CAD, generative design, and DfAM to develop the right solution.

ScopeStack

Grant in 2020
ScopeStack develops a web-based platform for IT and engineering professionals that provides a simple-step pricing tool.

Zark

Grant in 2020
Zark is a mobile app for gamers to challenge friends to play their favorite games online together while earning rewards. Users connect with friends by scheduling a challenge to play together.

Aconabolics

Grant in 2020
Aconabolics is specializing in the synthesis of stable, isotopically labeled organic acids, keto acids, and amino acids for diagnostics pharmaceutical research, and metabolic analysis. Our proprietary reaction pathways enable the generation of both known and non-fermentable metabolites. Major products include isotopic and structural isomers of biochemical intermediates and analogs.

Cycle Clarity

Grant in 2020
Cycle Clarity is a team of physicians, computer engineers, and biostatisticians dedicated to improving the world of fertility treatment through the application of cognitive computing in healthcare. Through the use of the latest generation of machine learning, Cycle Clarity has developed a better understanding of the multifactorial causes of infertility allowing for a more individualized approach to infertility testing and treatment.

Quitchet

Grant in 2020
Developer of a home trading application intended to organize home selling process. The company's product Quitchet is a portal and application that creates robust searches, organizes the entire process of home selling and buying from browsing for the buyer, scheduling and communicating between all parties all the way through the closing process, enabling consumers to conduct home buying and selling process easily.

Constructis

Grant in 2020
Constructis is a leader in kinetic energy. With the high demand for clean energy Constructis has brought to life a roadway system that allows traffic to create renewable energy. How does it work? The Roadway Energy Sensory System or R.E.S.S are roadway installed power modules capable of capturing vehicle traffic and converting it into usable energy that can be stored or distributed directly to the Grid.

UASidekick

Grant in 2020
The UASidekick app was originally developed due to the struggles the UAV pilot faced to maintain compliance with FAA requirements – it quickly grew to encompass much more. The development of this app was centered around the Safe Sky’s initiative promoted by the FAA. We have continued to steer the development of the app towards the support of airspace de-confliction and the improvement of communications between pilots, federal entities, and the general public. To that end, we provide a membership into the Coalition of UAS Professionals (www.UASCoalition.org) for all those that download our app. The collaboration between UASidekick and the grassroots efforts of the Coalition of UAS Professionals provides a stronger platform to facilitate the successful growth of unmanned aerial robotics in technology, educational programs, and public outreach. We are pilots, and we have invested in the idea that there is a better way to do things. We also believe that the workload associated with many of the necessary tasks of flying can be eased through technology and enhanced communication. Our commitment to you is to continue improving the app based on your feedback and ideas, iteratively releasing new features that will help both the UAS sector and the public it serves. Thank you for your support as we endeavor to help grow this amazing industry.

Tide Stop LLC

Grant in 2020
TideStop’s design provides a lighter product for easier installation. The addition of Clemson technology will inhibit barnacle growth for lower maintenance costs and extended lifespans of the valve.

yoJanus, Inc.

Grant in 2020
yoJanus, Inc., is a user-generated database of tenant experiences. The company strives to improve the rental experience by allowing tenants to learn from peers before committing their time, money and quality of life to a lease agreement. For landlords and property managers, yoJanus provides invaluable third-party feedback from the network of former, current and future renters.

GoBeep

Grant in 2020
We build blockchain-based mobile marketing and commerce software without compromising consumer trust or business capability. Our software enables businesses to directly market and sell to their customers through a mobile interface, while responsibly collecting valuable data to better serve each customer.

Land Intelligence

Seed Round in 2019
Land Intelligence, Inc. functions as a rating agency focused on providing comprehensive land information to mitigate risks associated with land purchases. The company offers several key services, including LandFAX, which assesses individual parcels for development feasibility by analyzing factors such as aerial views, wetlands, flood hazards, utilities, and zoning. Additionally, LandYIELD evaluates the potential use of a parcel based on current zoning, while LandCAST forecasts development potential by considering property characteristics and regional growth factors. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, Land Intelligence utilizes big data and advanced software algorithms to deliver customized, automated reports that streamline site condition analysis, asset volume projections, and future asset value forecasts, thereby enhancing the efficiency of land acquisition and due diligence processes.

Van Robotics

Seed Round in 2019
Vän Robotics delivers robot-assisted tutoring that makes learning K-8 subjects fun and accessible. They believe that quality educational support should be available to every child. That’s why their smart robot tutor, ABii, learns how to best engage each child in every lesson to steadily improve their comprehension. The company was founded in 2016 and based in Columbia, South Carolina.

Recovr

Grant in 2019
Recovr LLC is a company based in Seneca, South Carolina, that specializes in the research, development, and distribution of virtual therapy games aimed at enhancing the rehabilitation process for individuals recovering from strokes and other impairments. The company's games are designed to be visually engaging and customizable to meet individual therapy needs, providing an enjoyable and effective therapy experience. Patients can access these interactive games through systems like Xbox, allowing them to participate in their rehabilitation both in clinical settings and at home. Recovr's platform also includes features that track patient progress and compliance with rehabilitation programs, offering therapists access to analytical data through a web-based portal that includes setup and usage guides. The games motivate patients to adhere to their exercise assignments, thereby improving their recovery outcomes.

MitoChem Therapeutics

Grant in 2019
MitoChem Therapeutics develops treatments to address the effects of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease. It was founded by Craig Beeson and Bärbel Rohrer in Charleston, South Carolina.

ENGAGE Talent

Venture Round in 2018
ENGAGE is the world’s first AI-powered recruiting platform to combine Talent Mapping, Competitive Intelligence, Passive Candidate Sourcing, and Outbound Recruiting in one brilliant Talent Targeting and Engagement engine. ENGAGE is an AI-powered recruiting platform that helps companies identify and target new talent that they were not finding via traditional methods and in traditional pools. ENGAGE aggregates data from over 30K sources to create talent profiles on 100M professionals and 13M companies. ENGAGE's AI and machine learning engine predicts the likelihood that a candidate will respond to a conversation about a potential job change, and recommends personalized messaging based on factors like their career progression, skills, peer actions, and the news and events surrounding their company. ENGAGE's product helps recruiters connect with new talent pools, at the right time, with the right message. The result is a more efficient and productive talent acquisition team who fills roles proactively by engaging qualified talent instead of waiting for the right applicant to come to them. By leveraging ENGAGE predictions and recommendations, our customers have identified candidates for difficult-to-fill roles in a fraction of the time and doubled their candidate response rates.

Phi Life Sciences

Pre Seed Round in 2017
Phi Life Sciences is a Molecular Diagnostic and Laboratory Service company that aims to help patients by reducing disease mortality and adverse drug reactions through affordable, state of the art screening and diagnostic technologies. Phi Life Sciences is the bridge between scientists with innovative technologies and the patients and doctors whom they can benefit.

ENGAGE Talent

Seed Round in 2017
ENGAGE is the world’s first AI-powered recruiting platform to combine Talent Mapping, Competitive Intelligence, Passive Candidate Sourcing, and Outbound Recruiting in one brilliant Talent Targeting and Engagement engine. ENGAGE is an AI-powered recruiting platform that helps companies identify and target new talent that they were not finding via traditional methods and in traditional pools. ENGAGE aggregates data from over 30K sources to create talent profiles on 100M professionals and 13M companies. ENGAGE's AI and machine learning engine predicts the likelihood that a candidate will respond to a conversation about a potential job change, and recommends personalized messaging based on factors like their career progression, skills, peer actions, and the news and events surrounding their company. ENGAGE's product helps recruiters connect with new talent pools, at the right time, with the right message. The result is a more efficient and productive talent acquisition team who fills roles proactively by engaging qualified talent instead of waiting for the right applicant to come to them. By leveraging ENGAGE predictions and recommendations, our customers have identified candidates for difficult-to-fill roles in a fraction of the time and doubled their candidate response rates.

PharmRight

Convertible Note in 2014
PharmRight Corporation, founded in 2013 and based in Charleston, South Carolina, designs and develops medical devices aimed at improving medication adherence at home. The company offers Livi, an automated pill dispenser that simplifies the management of multiple medications for patients while providing essential support for their caregivers. Livi assists users in adhering to their medication schedules, making it easier for both patients and caregivers to navigate the complexities of prescribed and non-prescribed medications. Through its innovative solutions, PharmRight seeks to enhance the quality of care and promote better health outcomes for individuals managing their medication regimens.

GreenWizard

Venture Round in 2013
GreenWizard is a technology company dedicated to allowing architects, engineers, and contractors to build greener structures for less money in less time. The Company offers a data-driven software platform that allows users to analyze and select green building materials based on a wide array of preferences and inputs. The Company employs a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) software model delivered over the Internet for its process automation tool, communication center, business analytics, and interactive marketplace. The platform allows project participants to efficiently navigate and document the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of green building products, utilizing the most advanced analytical tools and information available in the market.

GreenWizard

Venture Round in 2012
GreenWizard is a technology company dedicated to allowing architects, engineers, and contractors to build greener structures for less money in less time. The Company offers a data-driven software platform that allows users to analyze and select green building materials based on a wide array of preferences and inputs. The Company employs a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) software model delivered over the Internet for its process automation tool, communication center, business analytics, and interactive marketplace. The platform allows project participants to efficiently navigate and document the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of green building products, utilizing the most advanced analytical tools and information available in the market.

Terressentia

Seed Round in 2012
Terressentia Corporation specializes in the distillation of spirits, including vodka, rum, and whisky, catering to a diverse clientele that includes retailers, brand owners, and hospitality establishments. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Ladson, South Carolina, the company employs its proprietary TerrePURE technology, a natural process designed to significantly reduce unwanted congeners, resulting in smoother and more refined spirits. This innovative method surpasses traditional techniques such as filtration and barrel aging by effectively removing harsh-tasting alcohols and free radicals while enhancing the overall taste profile of the spirits. Terressentia’s offerings encompass bulk spirits as well as private label and private brand products, positioning the company as a leader in premium distilled spirits production.

Heatworks

Pre Seed Round in 2012
Heatworks Technologies, Inc. manufactures water heaters for household applications in the United States. Its products include MOdel 3, a tankless electric water heater; Tetra, a dishwasher that cleans tableware, wine glasses, baby bottles; and Duo Carafe, a battery-operated hot water system. It sells its products online. Heatworks Technologies Inc. was formerly known as ISI Technology. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

Sabal Medical

Debt Financing in 2010
Sabal Medical is a healthcare platform that connects nurses and pharmacists together. Sabal Medical was founded in 2006 by William Park and David Duranceau and is based in Scranton. It was acquired by Swisslog in 2011.

Quintesocial

Pre Seed Round in 2010
Quintesocial, LLC operates an online social networking site. It uses online tools to help members find activities/events happening in their own city. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Columbia, South Carolina.

Immunologix

Pre Seed Round in 2010
Immunologix, Inc. develops and produces antibody-based therapeutics for various biological targets. It produces human monoclonal antibodies against viral, bacterial, and tumor antigens, as well as human auto antigens. The company was incorporated in 2008 and is based in Charleston, South Carolina.

GreenWizard

Angel Round in 2009
GreenWizard is a technology company dedicated to allowing architects, engineers, and contractors to build greener structures for less money in less time. The Company offers a data-driven software platform that allows users to analyze and select green building materials based on a wide array of preferences and inputs. The Company employs a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) software model delivered over the Internet for its process automation tool, communication center, business analytics, and interactive marketplace. The platform allows project participants to efficiently navigate and document the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of green building products, utilizing the most advanced analytical tools and information available in the market.

Vigilix

Grant in 2008
Vigilix LLC develops monitoring and alerting software, and remote support tools for the point-of-sale (POS) industry. It offers Vigilix Application Support Tool that provides real-time POS monitoring, alerting, and remote control through a single Web based user console. The company has a strategic partnership with Retail Pro International, LLC. Vigilix LLC was founded in 2003 and is based in Greenville, South Carolina.

Digitalsmiths

Seed Round in 2006
Digitalsmiths specializes in enhancing video providers' capabilities to access extensive video archives and deliver personalized experiences through precise and actionable video metadata. The company's video discovery solutions cater to various content formats and devices, enabling tailored video experiences that increase viewer engagement and revenue opportunities across mobile, broadband, tablet, and television platforms. With a client roster that includes prominent Hollywood studios, broadcasters, distributors, and publishers, Digitalsmiths facilitates personalized search, recommendations, and content discovery for consumers. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, Digitalsmiths continues to innovate in the video technology space.