PICKENS — The S.C. Department of Commerce’s Office of Innovation has worked over the last two years with local communities to establish a statewide ecosystem that drives entrepreneurship and technology-based economic development, which includes the establishment of the Pickens Innovation Center at 107 Court St. in Pickens.

The Pickens Innovation Center is a Clemson University Technology Villages organization – one of five in South Carolina — supporting entrepreneurs with company development, product refinement, establishment of operating model/processes, go to market plan and seed funding strategy.

The Center provides a working space in downtown Pickens to explore, collaborate and generate capital while connecting our resident entrepreneurs with other supporting business education materials and expert mentors in both government and business.

Pickens Innovation Center recently hired Mark Reid Davis, who grew up on a cattle farm in the Upstate and spent 23 years traveling abroad working as an entrepreneur. His primary skill is coaching existing business owners in the area to the next level of operation, funding and innovation.

Send an email to director@pickensinnovationcenter.com or call 864-507-3192 for more information.

Staff Report