The Upstate is brimming with groundbreaking technology and innovation. From companies like Inveterate and Stark to our parent company, 6AM City, it all started here.

Local tech companies now have another ally as they seek success: Upstate Upstarts,an entrepreneur ecosystem launched in 2024 to foster growth for vibrant early-stage companies based in and around Greenville.

How it works

Upstate Upstarts facilitates an evolving list of tech "upstarts" in the region. This organized resource serves as a platform for investment opportunities and a nexus for collaboration.

The list features more than 100 startups that are:

Based in the Upstate's seven counties (Oconee, Pickens, Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union)
Grounded in technology (including software, hardware, tech-enabled services, digitally native brands, e-commerce, and life sciences companies)
Showing promising growth potential

Psst... This is a collaborative community effort — anyone can submit an upstart to be on the list, join the team to help, or attend Upstate Upstarts events.

How it helps

Once a biz makes the list, they can receive monetary support from The Upstate Upstarts Fund to help execute their plans. Investments are funded by our community, and anyone can contribute to support these local startups. It's like our local version of "Shark Tank." Read: You could invest in the future of the next Kanga Coolers or Bubble Paper.

Startups to watch

This year, we're keeping our eyes on these growing businesses based in Greenville:

Incora Health | Created a "smart earring" monitoring system that gives women access to tools and information that empower them to make the best decisions for their health, well-being, and families.
Kiyatec | A functional precision oncology company that uses 3D cell culture technology to measure the response of individual patient live cancer cells.
GreenCape Health | Developed the first Patient Reported Outcomes (PRO) platform built for Rheumatology.

Events for innovators + investorshttps://6am-city.typeform.com/to/HwYsa41p