Helping founders find community and connections
The Harbor Accelerator program engages the cohort of accepted companies in a focused Market Validation curriculum curated by the Harbor’s proven entrepreneurs. This hands-on mentoring by the founders of some of the region’s most successful companies helps young companies build a strong customer acquisition platform as a basic building block for growth.
Our advanced entrepreneurship program, held each year in the late spring, is ACRE’s flagship program that seeks to invest in agricultural entrepreneurship in South Carolina. This competitive program is suited towards agribusinesses of all types that seek funding and mentorship in order to grow or expand their market.
Learn more →ACRE partnered with Matson Consulting, an agribusiness consulting firm in Aiken, in order to produce a comprehensive guide to agribusiness grants and a matching funds guide. Matson Consulting has helped ACRE entrepreneurs apply for Value-Added Producer Grants (VAPG), Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants, and others. When you are awarded funding or accepted into the curriculum you get access to Matson Consulting.
Learn more →ACRE’s fall agribusiness planning curriculum is open to a variety of people: new farmers who are having business issues, existing farmers who need help on the business side of their operation, farmers looking to expand or grow their business, and prospective agricultural entrepreneurs who don’t know where to start. The curriculum takes place in Columbia and is taught by the Clemson Agribusiness Extension Program Team.
Learn more →The purpose of the Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator is to help our portfolio companies achieve the necessary traction and growth to successfully enter the seed financing stage.
Learn more →If you are a current or emerging small business owner who desires to both improve your business growth and sustainability, and to support economic development in your local community, we invite you to take the challenge.
Learn more →The EforAll Accelerator Program is a free, 12-week program offered twice a year in each of our communities. This program offers a unique combination of immersive business training, mentorship, and access to an extended professional network. Anyone with a dream to start or grow a business or nonprofit is encouraged to apply.
Learn more →The Columbia Technology Incubator helps innovative businesses grow through education, mentoring, and an established sense of community, serving the Midlands of South Carolina
Learn more →Have you thought of opening a business? Do you have a business and want to grow? From a budding idea to taking your business to the next level, CommunityWorks can help. With a combination of business skill-building resources, coaching, training, and equitable financing, CommunityWorks is a one-stop-shop for small business growth.
Learn more →The Columbia Chamber is proud to introduce Gather & Grow (formerly Small Business Breakout), a consolidated program designed to better serve and empower our region's businesses. By combining the strengths of the Small Business Council and Area Business Alliances, Gather & Grow offers a unified platform to foster connections, share resources, and promote growth for businesses of all sizes.
Learn more →Transformational 9-week experience that includes mentoring from successful local entrepreneurs and business owners, coaching from experienced design thinkers, instruction from distinguished university faculty, and an investor community that’s engaged and committed to supporting aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners.
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