Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

Knoxville Business News Tennessee Mountain Scenery Background
September 08, 2022 | Tom Ballard

“GVL Starts” making good progress, Truist Foundation provides funding

GVL Starts,” an eight-week program that equips aspiring entrepreneurs and founders in Greenville, SC to move from idea to launch, has received a $75,000 grant from the Truist Foundation.

As first spotlighted in this August 2021 teknovation.biz post, “GVL Starts” is a collaboration involving The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Furman University, City of Greenville, Greenville Local Development Corporation,  South Carolina Department of Commerce, South Carolina Research Authority, and VentureSouth.

“GVL Starts aligns with Truist Foundation’s mission to work with organizations that strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit and enable small businesses,” said Mike Brenan, South Carolina Regional President for Truist. “Through our partnership, Greenville and Upstate entrepreneurs will be able to build the skill sets and networks necessary to launch and build successful companies. It’s also another way we fulfill Truist’s purpose to inspire and build better lives and communities.”

Since its launch a year ago, “GVL Starts” has helped 53 entrepreneurs ramp up existing start-ups or explore ways to bring ideas to market. A new, 28-peerson cohort started the program in late August. The group aims to accelerate 100 new ventures annually over the next five years.

Click here to read a recent news release from Furman.


Don’t Miss Out on the Southeast’s Latest Entrepreneurial, Business, & Tech News!

Sign-up to get the Teknovation Newsletter in your inbox each morning!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.


No, thanks!