Beaufort, SC Coworking Offices & Tech Incubator

BetterMatch Wins Top Prize at Techstars Startup Weekend Beaufort 2025

BEAUFORT, S.C. –- A team of four entrepreneurs took home first place at Techstars Startup Weekend Beaufort 2025 after pitching a lead generation platform designed to streamline backend operations for home maintenance professionals. The three-day event, hosted by the Beaufort Digital Corridor, brought together 38 participants who pitched eight original startup ideas and formed three teams over the course of 54 hours.

The winning team, BetterMatch, proposed a modern alternative to platforms like Angie's List. Their concept uses chatbot integration and Net Promoter Scores to identify and qualify service leads, helping electricians, plumbers, and other tradespeople reduce administrative workload and focus on their core business. To validate the idea, the team reached out to employees of Angie's List and gathered direct feedback on what works and what doesn't.

BetterMatch includes Connor Floyd, a computer science graduate from the University of South Carolina Beaufort; Tristan Vance, a public sector representative; Andres Marquez, a senior consultant in data engineering and tech innovation; and Jessica Macmillan, an advertising and editorial photographer.

The top prize package includes minimum viable product development sponsored by LowCountry Games; a VIP trip to Charleston with a private tour of the Charleston Digital Corridor and a class at the Charleston Learning Center; a four-week intellectual property advisory program through Longship Legal; a marketing strategy consultation with Soiree Social Media; a fellowship to the 14-week Founder Institute accelerator; a one-year membership to the Beaufort Digital Corridor; a pitch opportunity at an upcoming TechConnect event; and a feature on BDC's website and social media.

All event participants also received startup perks such as AWS credits through Brex, SaaS discounts through Deel, Google Cloud credits, and design tool discounts from Desygner. Additional giveaways included tech accessories provided by CaseFactor.io.

The event was organized by Jess O'Brien and Angela Coxe of the Beaufort Digital Corridor. Mentors included Rich Conte, Amy Doerflinger, Henrik de Gyor, and Eric Siano. Fourteen sponsors contributed to the success of the weekend including Technical College of the Lowcountry, AlphaGraphics, Beaufort County Economic Development Corp, Lowcountry Games, University of South Carolina Beaufort, City of Beaufort, South Carolina Research Authority, South Coast Cyber Center, 303 Associates, ABC Storage & Rental, Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, Evolve Into Fitness & Nutrition, Piace Pizza, and ShellRing Aleworks.

Techstars Startup Weekend is designed to introduce aspiring entrepreneurs to the fast-paced world of startups. Participants gain hands-on experience building a company, working in teams, and pitching to judges.

The weekend is just the beginning of a longer entrepreneurial journey. Beaufort Digital Corridor, local organizer of the event, offers continued support through mentorship, networking, and programs such as the Founder Institute's 14-week pre-seed accelerator, which begins its next cohort on October 14, 2025. https://fi.co/south-carolina

Photos from the weekend are available on Facebook at Beaufort Digital Corridor Accelerators. For more information or to get involved, visit www.beaufortdigital.com/events.

Media Contact:
Jess O'Brien
Executive Director
Beaufort Digital Corridor
jess@beaufortdigital.com

TS Conductor selects Jasper Co. for new manufacturing facility, creating hundreds of jobs

JASPER COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster's office announced Thursday TS Conductor has selected Jasper County for the site of their second U.S. manufacturing facility.

This location is the company's first South Carolina operation.

The Governor's office says the company's $134 million investment will create 462 new jobs in Jasper County.

TS Conductor is a manufacturer of next-generation advanced conductors. They specialize in advanced conductor technology that enables utilities to double or triple transmission capacity while cutting costs for customers.

"What many people don't realize is our power grid is still relying on century old technology today," Jason Huang said, the company's Co-Founder and CEO. "With TS Conductor, you can triple the transmission capacity leveraging the same structure in the existing right out way. And, that is the fastest and cheapest way to get the grid modernized and take care of business."

TS Conductor's new 301,275-square-foot facility, located in Clarius Park Hardeeville, will manufacture advanced carbon-core conductors for use in transmission lines, including critical high-voltage direct current (HVDC) capacity.

This is the first of a three-phase expansion plan. As part of this investment, TS Conductor is also planning to add an additional one million square feet within Clarius Park Hardeeville in future phases.

Thursday, Gov. McMaster said this is exactly the direction he wants to see South Carolina moving in.

"We said power is what we want to do in South Carolina. We want to have more of it, we want to be able to get it to places quicker and easier, more safely, and at less expense," said Gov McMaster. "And that's why everything that he's doing and we're doing, fits together like a hand in a glove. It's perfect."

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project. The council also awarded a $5.11 million Closing Fund grant to Jasper County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.

With the decision to bring a second facility to the Lowcountry, Huang said the company will be able to better meet the needs of a growing community in the Southeast, hoping to help locals move to a more efficient and affordable model.

As news of this announcement spreads, Gov. McMaster is hopeful other industrial companies will choose to be TS Conductor's neighbors.

"This is the place to be. When one great one comes, that's the signal to others, and it attracts others, and they attract others, that's why South Carolina is booming," said Gov. McMaster.

Hardeeville's mayor, Harry Williams shared this investment will likely have impacts for generations to come.

"Imagine if you're in high school now and you look at the possibility for a great job in a field that you're invested in and you can stay here in your hometown. What an opportunity for our residents that never existed before," said Mayor Williams.

Operations are expected to begin by the end of 2025. Individuals interested in joining the TS Conductor team should visit the company's careers page.

Copyright 2025 WTOC. All rights reserved.

Pitch Your Big Idea: Techstars Startup Weekend Returns to Beaufort, March 21–23

Beaufort, SC –- Techstars Startup Weekend, the globally recognized 3-day pitch competition, is returning to Beaufort for its fourth annual installment from March 21 to March 23, 2025. This dynamic weekend offers current and aspiring tech entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch ideas, form teams, and build startup concepts from the ground up with no prior experience required.

Participants will collaborate with industry mentors, refine their ideas, and compete for the grand prize package valued at $10,000, including the development of their Minimum Viable Product (MVP) sponsored by LowCountry Games. This unique prize ensures the winning team won't just leave with a concept–-they'll walk away with a tangible prototype to kickstart their startup journey.

**Event Details **

• Who Can Participate: Anyone 18 and older with a tech startup idea, no experience needed.

• When: March 21–23, 2025

• Where: Beaufort Digital Corridor, 500 Carteret Street, Suite D, Beaufort, SC 29902

• How to Register: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-techstars_-startup-weekend-beaufort

• Cost: Tickets are on sale now, with discounted rates for students and military. Registration closes on March 16, 2025. Students and military can use discount codes TSW25STUDENT and TSW25MILITARY, respectively, during checkout to receive $15 OFF tickets.

"Having an international event like this in Beaufort is a testament to our growing entrepreneurial ecosystem," said Jess O'Brien, Executive Director of the Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation. It's not just an opportunity for our community; it's a network that connects local talent with world-class mentorship and resources. This event drives innovation, builds relationships, and positions Beaufort as a rising hub for tech entrepreneurship."

Last year's event saw the success of MySafeCyber, which won the competition with its innovative solution for small business cybersecurity needs. This year's enhanced prize package sets the stage for even greater possibilities, ensuring participants have the resources to bring their ideas to life.

Hosted by the Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation, Techstars Startup Weekend reflects the organization's mission to foster innovation, support tech entrepreneurs, and cultivate a thriving tech economy in the Lowcountry.

All-ages audience tickets are also available for those who want to cheer on participants and witness the innovative pitches during the final presentations.

Don't miss this chance to be part of an international movement that's making waves right here in Beaufort! Register today to secure your spot: https://events.humanitix.com/2025-techstars_-startup-weekend-beaufort

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About Techstars Startup Weekend

Learn how to think, work, and build like a startup. In 54 thrilling hours. Techstars Startup Weekend is an exciting and immersive foray into the world of startups. Over an action-packed three days, you'll meet the very best mentors, investors, co-founders and sponsors to show you how to get more done faster – and, maybe even start that business.

About Techstars

The Techstars worldwide network helps entrepreneurs succeed. Founded in 2006, Techstars began with three simple ideas–-entrepreneurs create a better future for everyone, collaboration drives innovation, and great ideas can come from anywhere. Now we are on a mission to enable every person on the planet to contribute to, and benefit from, the success of entrepreneurs. In addition to operating accelerator programs and venture capital funds, we do this by connecting startups, investors, corporations, and cities to help build thriving startup communities. Techstars has invested in more than 2,400 companies with a combined market cap of more than $204B.

About Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation

Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation (BDCF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to advance digital literacy and empower diverse communities to thrive in high-wage tech industries, driving inclusive growth and innovation across the Beaufort community.

Connect with the Corridor:

facebook.com/beaufortdigital/

linkedin.com/company/beaufort-digital-corridor/

instagram.com/beaufortdigitalcorridor/

Beaufort's Lowcountry Games Presenting at Telfair Museums

Lowcountry Games, a local game development studio and Beaufort Digital Corridor member company, is excited to announce the launch of its newest project "CHATCITIES": a website where players can craft interactive stories. This follows the success of last year's Quiet on Set, a murder mystery game that thrilled audiences. Specializing in conversational AI, the studio empowers players to craft interactive, immersive worlds.

What is AI and Why Does It Matter?
AI, or artificial intelligence, is like giving computers a little bit of "human-like" thinking so they can help us in creative and practical ways. In our games, AI makes it possible for characters to feel more alive–-they can chat with you, react to your choices, and even surprise you with their responses.

"This is storytelling reimagined," says Tatiana Tatum, the artist on the project. "AI improvises in conversation so each player will have a unique experience."

Lowcountry Games will debut this project at the PULSE Art + Technology Festival at Savannah's Telfair Museums on January 18, 2025. Admission to the museum is free from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and artist presentations, including Lowcountry Games' showcase, will take place from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM.

The PULSE Art + Technology Festival is a yearly celebration of innovation in the arts, held at Telfair museum's Jepson center. For more information about the project, visit Bit.ly/chatcitiesrpg.

About Lowcountry Games
Based in Beaufort, SC, Lowcountry Games has been at the forefront of using AI-driven characters in game development. Led by California transplant Jason Loia and nurtured by Beaufort Digital Corridor, Lowcountry Games has been the training grounds for Media Arts USCB students with their annual internship program.

Contact:
Jason Loia
Lowcountry Games
jason@loia.com

Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation Announces 2025 Open Board Meeting Schedule

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
**January 8, 2025

Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation Announces 2025 Open Board Meeting Schedule

BEAUFORT, S.C. –- The Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation (BDCF) is pleased to announce its schedule of board meetings for 2025, with the first meeting on Friday, January 10th, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. The meeting will take place at the Beaufort Digital Corridor, located at 500 Carteret Street, Suite D, Beaufort, SC 29907, in the Landing Pad Hargray Conference Room upstairs.

These meetings are free and open to the public, providing an opportunity for community members to engage with the Foundation's leadership and contribute to its mission of advancing education and workforce development in technology.

Public Participation

Public questions and comments are welcome. To participate, attendees must register by the Monday prior to each meeting by emailing info@beaufortdigital.com with their name, email address, and comment topic. Registered speakers will have up to three minutes to share their remarks during the designated public comment portion at the end of each meeting. The Board Chair may, at their discretion, grant additional time for topics that align with the organization's strategic goals and current business.

Future Meeting Dates

Board meetings will take place on the second Friday of each month from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at the Beaufort Digital Corridor, with the exception of a summer recess during June and July, when no meetings will be scheduled unless published otherwise.

The Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation is dedicated to fostering economic growth and opportunity in Beaufort through technology education, workforce development, and mentorship programs. Community input and collaboration play a key role in achieving these goals, and the Foundation encourages public participation at its meetings.

For more information, visit beaufortdigital.com or contact Jess O'Brien at jess@beaufortdigital.com.

Media ContactJess O'BrienExecutive DirectorBeaufort Digital Corridor Foundation843-470-3506jess@beaufortdigital.com

New Acrobat for Nonprofits Offer Empowers Global Organizations to Drive Greater Impact

SAN JOSE, Calif. –- Nov. 21, 2024 –- Adobe (Nasdaq: ADBE) today announced Acrobat for Nonprofits, a new global offering that will significantly expand nonprofits' ability to streamline document and business processes and scale their impact with donors, volunteers and the communities they serve. This builds on the Adobe for Nonprofits offering, including Adobe Express, the create-anything app that helps nonprofits quickly and easily tell their stories, inspire action and advocate for change with standout content.

Like all businesses, nonprofits today need a modern workflow to operate efficiently, engage their audiences and achieve their missions. However, they do not always have the resources or expertise to adopt the tools they need. With the launch of Acrobat for Nonprofits, more organizations than ever before can access the most comprehensive set of document and e-signature tools in an easy-to-use interface, making it simple to manage contract and agreement workflows and create engaging educational and fundraising assets –- from annual reports, contracts and grant submissions to brochures and white papers.

With Adobe Acrobat Pro, nonprofits can also grow their digital presence in meaningful ways:

**Increasing Visibility and Awareness: **Your nonprofit needs to clearly convey its mission, vision and impact to educate the public and attract attention to your cause. Highlighting stories, statistics and recent projects helps establish credibility and raise awareness, which are easy to share with Acrobat's PDF creation and editing tools.

**Fundraising and Donations: **Encourage the community to contribute to your nonprofit by creating stunning, downloadable PDFs that you and your supporters can share online and print out for easy distribution.

**Engaging and Expanding the Community: **Building a sense of community is essential for nonprofit work. Creating PDF newsletters, volunteer sign-up sheets that can be e-signed and other downloadable, sharable materials engages visitors and keeps them connected to your cause.

**Showcasing Transparency and Impact: **Donors want to know how their contributions are used. Share your nonprofit's financial information, impact reports and updates on ongoing projects as PDFs, which makes it easy for visitors to search for the news and numbers they want to know more about. This transparency builds trust with the community your nonprofit depends on.

**Providing Resources and Education: **Educating the public and providing resources to their communities helps nonprofits stand out. Use Adobe Acrobat Pro to create and edit PDF articles, downloadable guides and event information resources on related services, support networks, and advocacy groups.

Advocacy and Calls to Action: Nonprofits can leverage their websites, social media channels and email lists to rally support for specific initiatives, legislative changes and community actions. By providing tools for advocacy, like petitions that can be e-signed and downloadable PDF contact forms for legislators, your nonprofit's digital network can mobilize your supporters for important causes.

As part of this initiative, Adobe is offering the pro version of Adobe Acrobat –- the product most requested by nonprofit organizations –- for just $15 per user per year, which represents a 94% annual savings off the regular price.

Adobe for Nonprofits: Supporting Global Organizations with Industry-Leading Technologies

For decades, Adobe has been empowering nonprofits at the forefront of social change, marshalling its philanthropy, strategic partnerships, employee efforts and innovative products in service of organizations worldwide with resources to address today's most urgent needs. The Adobe for Nonprofits initiative harnesses the company's industry-leading creative and document management solutions, expert support and training resources to help global organizations modernize their content creation and business operations. Adobe Acrobat for Nonprofits is the most recent addition to the program, which also includes free access to Adobe Express Premium and discounted rates for Adobe Creative Cloud.

Global Nonprofits Partnering with Adobe to Enhance Their Impact

Some of the world's leading nonprofit organizations power their business and content operations with Adobe technologies. Following are just a few examples of how they are leveraging Adobe technologies to drive positive change:

• Using Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Express to create compelling fundraising content, manage client information, document important fundraising commitments and design engaging educational and campaign assets.
• Using Adobe Acrobat to manage confidential information and agreements, and create grant requests and fundraising collateral.
• Leveraging Adobe Acrobat to send and manage contracts to onboard new staff members, volunteers and program participants, review and send invoices from community partners as well as edit and share fundraising documents.
• Using Adobe Acrobat for organizing storyboard sequences and filming release forms when creating promotional materials.
• Creating educational and social content that engages audiences and brings awareness to nonprofits' important causes.

Take advantage of an Acrobat Pro account, which Adobe offers to nonprofit leaders for only a $15 vetting fee per license!

About Adobe

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

(c) 2024 Adobe. All rights reserved. Adobe and the Adobe logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.