Economics
The New Startup South
Greenville has hit on a successful formula for incubating businesses. Could other cities in the region be next?
The spruced-up waterfront in Greenville, S.C.
Photographer: Eliot Dudik for Bloomberg BusinessweekWhen Scott Pancoast was crisscrossing the Carolinas raising money for his health-care startup earlier this year, one of the most important stops was a country club in his hometown of Greenville, S.C. His presentation drew almost 50 angel investors, twice the number that showed up when he pitched to potential funders in Charleston, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C.
“It was a very, very strong showing,” Pancoast says. “Having that kind of inclination to support local entrepreneurial activities was stunning to me.”