Click to View in Browser | June 26, 2020
NEWS
SCRA Funds Additional $1.5 Million In Response To COVID-19
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SCRA and its investment affiliate, SC Launch, Inc. have dedicated an additional $1.5 million in funding to support businesses that are providing coronavirus-related solutions and to help their current portfolio companies continue to meet their financial goals during this time. Read more.
Lou Kennedy 2020 honoree in SC ETV Women Vision SC program
Congratulations to our Executive Committee Board Director, Lou Kennedy, President, CEO and Owner of Nephron Pharmaceutical Corporation. She is a 2020 honoree in South Carolina Educational Television’s (ETV) Women Vision SC program. Women Vision SC: Finding Our Voice premieres July 2 at 8:30 pm on SCETV.  Read more.
SACT Grant Solicitations Released
SCRA’s Academic Innovations is requesting applications from multi-institutional, collaborative research teams that will advance commercially relevant research, and address key industry challenges to foster technology-enabled growth of the state’s innovation economy. An information session webinar will be held on Tuesday, June 30 at 11 a.m. Learn more.
SC Launch Virtual Summit 2020
SC Launch hosted its first Virtual Summit on Tuesday, June 23. The Summit included a fascinating portfolio company panel, where they discussed their COVID-19 entrepreneur journey, followed by an awards ceremony. This year’s Company of the Year Award was presented to  ENGAGE Talent/ Workforce Logiq and Billboard Award was presented to  Boyd Cycling . Read more/watch the Summit.
JULY 23-24
DIG SOUTH Virtual Tech Summit is coming. The same amazing content, stellar networking opportunities, investor pitches, exhibitors and more. Learn more.
DHEC warns of increasing COVID-19 cases among youth. DHEC reported that 4,160, or 18.4%, of the 22,608 confirmed cases in the state were among people ages 21 to 30. Teenagers accounted for 7% of confirmed cases, the agency said. Since April 4, DHEC data shows a 413.9% increase in new cases among ages 21-30 and a 966.1% increase among ages 11-20. Read more.
Greenville City Council mandates masks, launches business fund. All restaurant, grocery, pharmacy, retail, salon and barbershop employees in contact with the public within Greenville city limits will be required to wear masks - and could be eligible for provisions from a mask stockpile and small business fund set aside by the City Council. Read more.
Columbia to require masks within city limits. Masks will be mandatory within the city limits of Columbia beginning Friday morning.
Columbia City Council passed an ordinance on Tuesday requiring face coverings in public in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19. The ordinance goes into effect Friday at 6 a.m.
“All persons entering a commercial establishment in the City must wear a face covering while inside the establishment,” the ordinance ( .pdf ) states. Masks will not be required, though strongly encouraged, during religious activities. Read more.
New program lets restaurants indicate compliance with COVID-19 guidelines. Gov. Henry McMaster unveiled an initiative on Tuesday, modeled off the  Greater Greenville Pledge, to encourage social distancing and safety measures among state restaurants. Restaurant owners that sign on to the measure, are expected to complete a list of protocols, complete a free online course and undergo an inspection by DHEC. Those that pass the requirements will be listed on the Palmetto Priority page and receive a window decal. Read More.
South Carolina Research Authority