Public / Private Partnershipy

Innovista would not be possible without the cooperation and contributions of a number of public and private entities. Former University of South Carolina President Andrew Sorensen has compared the three main groups—the University, business community, and government—to the ancient Russian troika, a carriage drawn by three horses.

“Believe me, all three horses have pulled the weight equally,” Sorensen says. “This may be the largest collaboration of individuals and organizations that have ever come together to help transform our vision for Innovista into a reality.”

The list below is a categorized list of partners that have come together to make Innovista a reality.

The University of South Carolina
Office of Research and Health Sciences
Promotes and oversees research, discovery, and innovation at the University of South Carolina

Development Foundation
Acquires real estate and special assets to serve the University

Research Foundation
Supports faculty research, growth, and scholarship goals

University of South Carolina Columbia Incubator
Promotes economic development and startups, including student-led companies

Intellectual Property Office
Leverages intellectual property owned by the University

Business
Chernoff Newman
A full-service advertising, public relations and marketing communications firm with offices in Columbia, S.C., and Orlando, Fla.

John Lumpkin Jr.
Consera Health Care Real Estate Services; Innovista interim director, September 2005-January 2007

Sasaki Associates, Inc.
Boston-based architect responsible for Innovista master plan

Government
State of South Carolina
Providing millions in faculty recruitment and research funding

City of Columbia
Providing funding for Discovery Plaza parking garage

Richland County
Providing funding for Horizon Center parking garage

South Carolina Centers of Economic Excellence
Funding $130 million over 10 years for state’s research universities

South Carolina Department of Commerce
Manages growth and development of state’s business and industry

S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development
Coordinates economic development and business recruitment

City of Cayce
Municipality just southwest of Congaree River across Blossom Street Bridge (U.S. 321/176/21)

City of West Columbia
Municipality just northwest of Congaree River across Gervais Street Bridge (U.S. 1/378)

Lexington County
Adjacent to and southwest of Richland County; two counties make up Columbia metro area

Organizations
Central S.C. Alliance
Markets business and economic opportunities in 12-county region

EngenuitySC
Public-private partnership nurtures knowledge-based economy

Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce/Midlands Business Leadership Group
Promotes the city, business opportunities, and leadership

SC Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Alliance
Public-private collaborative advancing commercialization of technologies

SC Research Authority
Public, non-profit corporation helps commercialize technologies

SC Launch!
Works with research universities to fund technology startups

River Alliance
Protects and makes accessible the Columbia area’s rivers