New website aims to connect entrepreneurs to resources

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Innovate Columbia, a digital hub aimed at connecting entrepreneurs to local resources, launched today as an initiative of the Midlands Business Leadership Group.

The site, www.innovatecolumbiasc.com, connects businesses in stages from startups to established companies to a variety of Midlands resources, including programs at the S.C. Department of Commerce, the city of Columbia, Benedict College and the University of South Carolina.

Business development organization MBLG, an initiative of EngenuitySC, pinpointed identifying and connecting with local resources as a common obstacle for local entrepreneurs, according to a news release. Innovate Columbia aims to increase access and support while saving entrepreneurs time.

Users can sort resources by business stages: ideation, validation, launch, or growth and maturity; or by category of assistance: incubator or accelerator programs, funding, guidance, or space and networking.

The website, developed with support from BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and Nephron Pharmaceutical Corp. and designed by Columbia-based Beam & Hinge, also shares local entrepreneurial success stories and information on upcoming networking events.