John Lummus, President and CEO Upstate SC Alliance
BMW. Bosch. Schneider Electric. Samsung. Abbott. Magna International. Plastic Omnium. ZF.
Apart from sharing a presence within the Upstate, there is another common thread between these companies: Each company seized the opportunity for their latest innovations to be showcased at the 2022 CES.
This is the premier technology show, formerly known by the Consumer Electronics Show. Hundreds of thought leaders gather to demonstrate how tech has never been more crucial in our lives.
The economic development community is discovering a secret: CES is the place you should be to explore how manufacturing and technology intersect, to catch mobility innovations as they emerge, and to show ecosystems such as South Carolina to companies considering new growth markets.
The Upstate Alliance team did this in January by partnering with Charleston Regional Development Alliance (CRDA).The South Carolina Department of Commerceto represent our region’s position as an international powerhouse destination in which technology and manufacturing meet, a perfect environment for business.
Team SC was formed to share in the story-telling. Pozyx, a Belgian provider of real-time tracking technology with a Greenville office. eGroup, a Charleston-headquartered IT service provider with clients in industries including health care, financial services and advanced logistics.
The event was a chance for companies to connect with potential clients and explore the industry. Yves Ghys from Pozyx called the experience a huge hit.
Ghys said that people from all industries were welcome to join our location-based solutions group. We had great brainstorm sessions and a wonderful environment to network.
The state’s engineering talent and research assets were on display as well: Transportation & Vehicle Technology Highlights included The Indy Autonomous Challenge.Held in October 2021 using the first-ever autonomous-capable racing car. It was built by Deep Orange, CU-ICARs vehicle prototyping program.
Did you mean economic development?
You might be asking: Wait? Economic development? Who else?
Although the event is still gaining prominence in economic development circles, it was our second time exhibiting for the Upstate Alliance or CRDA.
We connected with Flanders Investment and Trade (FIT), a great match since we were joined at the Consular offices of the Netherlands and a Belgian company.
This year, we were in good company with other international community exhibitors such as the Istanbul Development Agency and the Italian Trade Agency.
Being a player in a field like this is important for communities like Charleston and the Upstate. It helps us get our name out there, increase visibility for the innovative ideas coming from our bright minds, as well as meet with many growing technology companies interested in expanding into the Southeast.
And with product categories including 3D printing, AI/robotics, health & wellness, IoT infrastructure and transportation/vehicle technology, its hard to find a frontier that doesnt align with South Carolinas manufacturing ecosystem.
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Are you interested in how your company can help the region? Contact Lauren Scoggins, [email protected]Learn more at #TeamUpstate.
Alliance for Upstate SC