The S.C. Department of Commerce has distributed the funding statewide to support small business growth and innovation initiatives.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Commerce announced the recipients of its 2026 Relentless Challenge grants, awarding more than $760,000 across 14 projects statewide, according to S.C. Commerce.
The Relentless Challenge is a competitive statewide grant program designed to support innovative problem-solving and entrepreneurship, according to the agency. This year’s awards cover two tracks: traditional small business and innovation, both intended to help businesses launch, grow and succeed long-term, according to S.C. Commerce.
“South Carolina’s economic strength is built on both the small businesses that sustain our communities and the innovators shaping our future,” said Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “Through the Relentless Challenge and these 14 projects, we are investing in entrepreneurs and companies whose ideas will drive growth, advance innovation and create opportunity across our state.”
Recipient projects are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of this year, according to S.C. Commerce.
The 14 funded projects include BlacQuity’s Lowcountry Black Business Capital & Growth Initiative, the Center for Opportunity and Entrepreneurial Advancement’s Launch in 60 Marketplace, and Clemson University’s Bridging STEM and Entrepreneurship course model. Other recipients include the Economic Development Partnership of Aiken and Edgefield Counties’ Aiken Venture Lab, eMYRge’s Golf Tech Accelerator Challenge, and Entrepreneurship For All’s Capital Ready Lowcountry initiative.
Additional awards went to the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce’s Minority Business Accelerator Alumni Program, GrowCo Columbia’s nonprofit investment fund for startups, Increasing H.O.P.E.’s business accelerator program, and Lowcountry Local First’s Kiva Hub.
The remaining grants support the Navigating from Good to Great Foundation and Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s leadership institute program, the NextGEN Fix My Pitch initiative, Southern Palmetto Foundation’s rural retail digital strategy program, and Furman University’s Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Future Catalyst Project, according to S.C. Commerce.
2026 Relentless Challenge grant recipient projects are due to begin in the first quarter of this year. The 14 recipient projects are listed below:
- BlacQuity – Lowcountry Black Business Capital & Growth Initiative (LBBCGI)
- Center for Opportunity and Entrepreneurial Advancement (COEA) – Launch in 60 Marketplace
- Clemson University Division of Research – Bridging STEM and Entrepreneurship: A Paired Course Model for Commercialization Readiness
- Economic Development Partnership of Aiken and Edgefield Counties, Inc.– Aiken Venture Lab
- eMYRge – eMYRge Golf Tech Accelerator Challenge (GTAC)
- Entrepreneurship For All – Capital Ready Lowcountry: Advancing Financial Opportunities and Connections for Small Businesses
- Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce – The Network: Minority Business Accelerator Alumni Program
- GrowCo Columbia Inc. – Boyd Innovation Center – GrowCo Fund: Establishing a Non-Profit Investments Fund for Scalable South Carolina Startups
- Increasing H.O.P.E. – Ready to Grow: One-to-One Business Accelerator
- Lowcountry Local First – Lowcountry Kiva Hub
- Navigating from Good to Great Foundation – Columbia Chamber of Commerce – Wendell Jones Leadership Institute Growth Blueprint Midlands Business Accelerator
- NextGEN – Fix My Pitch
- Southern Palmetto Foundation – Propel Omni-Path: Digital Strategies for Rural Retail Business Success
- The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University – The Future Catalyst Project
Based on a release from S.C. Dept. of Commerce.
