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In January 2006, NEXT , the portal for high-impact, knowledge-based companies, was formed to attract, nurture, and promote the knowledge economy of South Carolina’s Upstate. NEXT serves high-growth companies and their CEO’s through concierge service, infrastructure development, and public advocacy.
The following represents a few milestones of NEXT in the development of the knowledge-based ecosystem in the Upstate.
2010
- NEXT hosts, as licensed by the TED organization, the first TEDx event in South Carolina, TEDxGreenville.
- Lab21, Inc., the U.S. headquarters, becomes tenant of NEXT Innovation Center.
- NEXT launches monthly NEXT Social for NEXT CEOs, NEXT Innovation Center tenants, and community leaders.
- NEXT launches new website, www.nextupstatesc.org, which includes new features for NEXT members: a talent portal and a member company profile page for each member.
2009
- NEXT Innovation Center (www.greenvillenext.com) opens in Greenville, SC.
- Eleven NEXT member companies become tenants in the NEXT Innovation Center: Gnoso, Inc., SinglePoint, Inc., NWN Corp., Promopipeline, LLC, Northgate Labs, Servosity, Vigilix, ProActive Technology, Merge, Endangered PCs, Connect Technologies Corp.
- Upstate Carolina Angel Network becomes tenant of NEXT Innovation Center.
- Michelin Development Company becomes tenant of NEXT Innovation Center.
- NEXT joins partner organizations and NEXT CEO’s in developing entrepreneurial summer immersion program, NEXTSTART.
- NEXT hosts and sponsors the Angel Capital Association learning series for Upstate Carolina Angel Network investors.
- Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce joins NEXT collaborative of partner organizations.
- NEXT launches support programs and services in the Anderson/Pendleton/Clemson areas of Upstate.
- NEXT receives license from TED to organize and host the TEDx event in Greenville (www.tedxgreenville.org).
- NEXT adds 12 new member companies and CEO’s.
- NEXT supports legislation of SBIR/STTR reauthorization bill.
- NEXT initiates meeting to address growth needs of NEXT Advanced Materials companies with city and county leaders of Anderson and Pendleton and NEXT CEO’s.
2008
- Upstate Carolina Angel Network, the first angel network in the Upstate of South Carolina, the start-up of which was funded and supported by NEXT, launches in April 2008.
- Upstate Carolina Angel Network joins NEXT collaborative of partner organizations.
- NEXT hosts and sponsors the Angel Capital Association learning series for Upstate Carolina Angel Network investors.
- NEXT adds 13 new member companies and CEO’s.
- NEXT along with the Hughes Development Corporation and the City of Greenville launch public announcement of the NEXT Innovation Center scheduled to open in 2009.
- NEXT organizes and implements monthly meetings to support Hughes Development Corporation in attracting NEXT member companies to become tenants in the NEXT Innovation Center when it opens in 2009.
- NEXT organizes and sponsors press announcement of NEXT member company, SensorTech, receiving investment from SCLaunch.
- NEXT organizes and sponsors South Carolina Venture Capital Forum in Greenville.
2007
- The NEXT Innovation Center project begins when NEXT initiates meetings among 17 NEXT CEO’s, city leaders, and developers to discuss potential of developing a NEXT Innovation Center in Greenville.
- NEXT initiates planning and funding support for the development of a regional angel network when investors Tim Reed and JB Holman agree to lead the project.
- SCLaunch joins NEXT collaborative of partner organizations.
- NEXT organizes and sponsors press announcements throughout the year for the following NEXT member companies receiving investments from SCLaunch: Selah Technologies, Promopipeline, Innegrity, Zipit Wireless, Vigilix
- NEXT continues in role as executive director of InnoVenture 2007.
2006
- NEXT, the Upstate’s portal for high-growth knowledge-based companies launches in January 2006 with 11 member companies and CEO’s.
- NEXT develops monthly peer-to-peer best practice and networking opportunities for CEO’s of NEXT member companies.
- NEXT collaborative launches with eight partner organizations (City of Greenville, Greenville Chamber, InnoVenture, GTC Buck Mickel Center, FastTrac, Spiro Institute of for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Clemson University, Clemson University Research Foundation, GSATC).
- NEXT initiates with City of Greenville a business license abatement incentive for new technology companies locating within city limits.
- NEXT ends year in 2006 by growing membership from 11 to 32 companies.
- NEXT continues in role as executive director of InnoVenture 2006.
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