GrowCo Ignites into Local Columbia Business Incubator
Community is a crucial but often missing element to startup success. When we develop and create in a vacuum, it can be difficult to get the validation and support we need. Enter GrowCo!
GrowCo is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring new entrepreneurs to start and grow their companies in the Midlands. Through initiatives such as Tech Beans, where entrepreneurs gather weekly for coffee and networking, we’re able to connect with peers and gain valuable support to take their projects from idea to launch.
GrowCo provides high-quality events, mentorship, access to resources, and funding for entrepreneurs. With the help of Boyd Foundation’s $1 million donation, we have officially launched a much-needed business incubator, leading the way for more tech innovation in the Midlands.
Formed by Darnall and Susan Boyd in 2010, The Boyd Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to such projects that lend to the beautification, education, and general quality of life in Columbia, SC and the Midlands.
The Boyd Foundation Community Innovation Center is the first of its kind--a place where entrepreneurs can openly discuss their projects, network with peers, and gain valuable insight into what it takes to launch a successful business.
Opened in July 2022, the Boyd Foundation Community Innovation Center is housed in the former White Mule space on 711 Saluda Avenue, where Tech Beans is held.
GrowCo’s mission isn’t just to provide capital and resources; we also value peer-to-peer support, providing an empowering environment for entrepreneurs to thrive. By sparking conversations and catalyzing collaboration, we are helping to create a vibrant tech ecosystem in Columbia that will drive economic growth and benefit the community as a whole.
Among board members are such notable names as Chris Heivly, a career investor and the co-founder of MapQuest. In the early 2000s, Heivly sold the tech giant to AOL for $1.2 billion.
Heivly has made it his mission to empower entrepreneurs and help them build more successful companies. With his leadership, along with that of Executive Director Caroline Crowder, we are poised to become a premier business incubator for entrepreneurs in Columbia.
The impact is truly inspiring, and the proof is in the results: Jeff Spencer, an entrepreneur who started Playfora (an innovative app designed to help groups raise money), recently received venture capital funding. Spencer credits startup community events such as Tech Beans, a weekly coffee meeting, to discuss tech and entrepreneurial projects, as having made the biggest difference in his success. Without the support of Tech Beans, Spencer might have never had the confidence to pursue his app.
As more entrepreneurs come together to share their stories, successes, and struggles, progress — both personal and collective — will most certainly be made.
The Boyd Foundation Community Innovation Center strikes at the heart of GrowCo’s mission, “by, with, and for entrepreneurs”.
We, alongside The Boyd Foundation, will continue to champion and empower entrepreneurs as they launch their businesses in the Midlands. Together, we will build a brighter future for Columbia.
