Thank you to everyone who attended the

2023 Paladin Pitch Competition during

Furman University's Campaign Launch Weekend!

Paladin Pitch 2023 was an incredible event that brought together students, faculty, alumni, and community leaders to witness four finalists pitch their innovative ideas live on stage.

We were blown away by the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit on display, and we are thrilled to announce that the winner of the inaugural $10,000 Johnny Flynn Paladin Pitch Award is Spencer Tate and Nemath Ahmed, founders of DotFlo.

Our winner, Spencer Tate '24, is an Economics and Business Administration Major with a concentration in Data Analytics.

He has a passion for artificial intelligence, empowering people, and innovation within technology. He has participated in numerous Hill Institute programs including the Clemens Angel Analyst Fellowship, Innovation Hour Pitch Competition, and the Summer Business and Innovation Boot Camp.

Thank you again to those who attended! We look forward to seeing you at next year's Paladin Pitch Competition.

Paladin Pitch

Featured on Fox Carolina

Thank you to Fox Carolina for attending Paladin Pitch and capturing the excitement of the event and highlighting Spencer Tate and Nemath Ahmeh, our 2023 winners.

Click here to view the full article

Demo Day Spring 2023

We would also like to thank everyone who participated in and attended the Spring 2023 GVL Starts Demo Day program, which boasted record numbers with nearly 300 people in attendance for this culmination of our signature 9-week program for local first-time founders.

LJ Gordon, founder of Quillnote and winner of the technology category said, "The GVL Starts Program was a key piece in perfecting my startup's value proposition. Through this program, my presentation skills dramatically improved, and I formed professional connections that will help move my company forward."

Congratulations to the winners who received a total of $15,000 for their startup ventures, as well as a unique opportunity provided by our latest program partner, Hughes Development Corporation. As a tribute to the graduation of 100 founders from the GVL Starts program, Hughes Development Corporation is offering 100 days of office space to all program graduates.

Thank you to SCRA, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Greenville Area Development Corporation, VentureSouth, The City of Greenville, Truist Foundation, and all of our community partners who support the generational impacts being created through the GVL Starts program.

Friday, May 19, 7:30 - 9:00 AM

Mark your calendars and make plans to join us in Downtown Greenville for the next installment of the Advantage Greenville series - providing a forum for thought leadership and honest conversations around innovation and entrepreneurship. On May 19th, The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship will partner with The Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities at Furman to host a lively discussion about how sustainability can serve as a catalyst for innovation. Featured panelists include Milliken’s Sustainability Vice President & Associate Gen Counsel, Maurie Lawrence; Mike Haubert , Partner, Development and Manufacturing at local growth stage company Mosaic Color and Additives, and Furman student founder Alexa Valdovinos and her startup, Monte Valle. The discussion will be moderated by Andrew Predmore , Executive Director at The Shi Institute.

Click here to register for Advantage GVL.

June 5 - August 11

Summer Business & Innovation Boot Camp for Furman students. This three-week program, held on Furman’s campus, will equip students with the foundations of business and the fundamentals of innovation and entrepreneurship. Designed for students who want to complement their degree with real-world business and innovation experience, our summer Boot Camp provides three weeks of classroom learning followed by a paid consulting experience that pairs student teams with local growth-stage companies in partnership with NEXT.

How One Start-Up Helps Connect Talented Employees to the

Companies That Need Them

In this episode of the Class E Podcast, Dr. Leigh Holcomb shares her passion for helping other people achieve high success in their careers. She is the founder and CEO of Career Catalyst Edge and a graduate of the Spring 2022 GVL Starts cohort. Dr. Holcomb talks about what prevents us from taking that next step and how to overcome what holds us back. Plus, she shares how she coaches and connects great job candidates to the right companies who need them.

What is

The Hill Institute?

We help you LAUNCH. We not only help aspiring entrepreneurs and founders launch new ventures, but we also develop the skillsets they need to be a successful entrepreneurial leader.