About the Beaufort Digital CorridorThe Beaufort Digital Corridor (BDC) is a community-sourced initiative to attract, nurture and promote Beaufort's technology entrepreneurs and ultimately the region's tech economy through an array of impactful programs, products and events while leveraging Beaufort's renowned livability.Beaufort Digital CorridorBDC_f5d79528-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Beaufort Digital Corridor TeamThe Beaufort Digital Corridor is a highly collaborative organization with advisors hailing from the Beaufort tech community and beyond. This allows us to stay lean, relevant and highly responsive to the dynamic needs of our technology entrepreneurs and tech-related businesses. We believe in community-sourced intelligence as the preferred way to operate.The BDC Foundation Board of Directors sets the priorities for the organization and the Executive Director carries them out. The Leadership team at the Charleston Digital Corridor mentors and assist as needed.Jess O'BrienExecutive Director ~ Jess O'Brien is a former digital marketing leader with a proven track record managing agency teams and clients. Her love of working with start-ups sparked during a previous stint working at an agency located within Atlanta Tech Village. Since, she has worked with companies of all sizes from SMBs to national franchises. Jess moved from Atlanta, GA to the Lowcountry in 2014. While her career has spanned across the southeast, she is proud to call Beaufort, SC home. Jess previously served on the BDC Foundation as a volunteer Board Member. She is excited to now be stationed in BASEcamp full-time and to bring her knowledge of scaling start-ups to members, residents and partners.Cory CooperCybersecurity Project Manager ~ My name is Cory Cooper and I am from Franklin, Indiana. I am a graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor's in Industrial Technology and a Master's in Technology Education. My background shows a complete commitment to a lifelong learning of technology and project management. I have ample experience working with state agencies, K-12, nonprofit organizations, career centers, community colleges and universities on many projects. I also have an extensive background in advanced manufacturing, quality engineering, automation and robotics, material science and information technology. The past 18 years, I've worked with several Fortune 500 companies as well as served as an administrator and taught high school engineering and PLTW STEM courses. After moving to Beaufort County, I taught Middle school and high school CTE courses. I also had the pleasure of mentoring the Middle School VEx Robotics State Champion team for the State of South Carolina from Lady's Island. I'm excited to bring my passion for education, technology, and project management to the Beaufort Digital Corridor.BDC FoundationThe Beaufort Digital Corridor Foundation, is an independent 501(c)6 non-profit corporation focused on diversifying Beaufort's economy by pursuing an array of innovative products, events and services focused exclusively on the tech industry.Digital Corridor Foundation BoardThe Digital Corridor Foundation Board is comprised of entrepreneurs from Beaufort's tech community.Our board members play an important role with the development of the Beaufort Digital Corridor by providing first hand insight into the tech industry.Members serve a two-year term.Melissa VenableChair ~ An online education advisor for Higher Education at Red Ventures, Melissa leads an annual survey research project tracking national trends in online education. As an instructional designer she has experience in industry and higher education. She is an adjunct faculty member and online course designer at Saint Leo University, and a certified career coach with a background in career development services. Melissa is also an associate editor for eLearn Magazine.She earned a PhD in Instructional Technology at the University of South Florida with research interests in distance education and support services for online students. She also holds master's degrees from Central Michigan University and the University of Oklahoma, and a bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University.Melissa established Design Doc LLC in 2010 to connect with freelance and consulting projects related to online instructional design and career development. Through Design Doc, Melissa and her husband, Rob Petitgout, have been non-resident BDC members since its opening in 2017. Melissa has lived in Beaufort since 2012. She is currently a member of the City of Beaufort's Higher Education Task Force and served on the Friends of the Beaufort County Library Board from 2014 to 2018. Melissa is also a graduate of Leadership Beaufort.Matt D'AngeloVice Chair ~ Matt D'Angelo is part of the founding Board of Directors that began their service in January 2018. He served as Vice Chair since Jan 2018 - present.For the past 20 years, Matt D'Angelo has worked in the Software industry in delivery of Professional Services. He has served as a practitioner and manager over teams of Project and Program managers, and been the Operations Director for company divisions between 5 and 50 million dollars. Matt's style is to lead by example and activity, and has deep experience developing corporate strategy, and converting those concepts into plans of action.He has previously co-founded a foster home and served on its board of directors, and has been an active volunteer with the Beaufort Rotary club and his church. He is committed to the development of the Beaufort technical community, and helping expand the impact on the Beaufort economy.Rich ConteBoard Member ~ Rich Conte is a Product Management and Development professional with over 25 years of experience in the technology industry spanning Engineering, User Experience Design and Product Management. For the past 18 years, he served in various Product Development roles at Charleston-based Blackbaud Inc. In his current role as Senior Manager of Technical Product Management, Rich leads a team that is helping power Blackbaud's digital transformation efforts by developing Identity Management, Commerce and Developer capabilities.A passionate Technology Startup advocate, Rich supported the Charleston technology community as Producer and Host of the Tech Life / Silicon Harbor Radio podcast, board member for the Charleston Startup and STEM Foundation, Startup Weekend Charleston organizer, and advisor to a network of Charleston-based entrepreneurs. He is excited to contribute to the local technology community and help further the Beaufort Digital Corridor's mission.Rich relocated from Charleston in August 2020, and along with his wife Amelia and son Sullivan, looks forward to being part of the Beaufort community for a long time to come.Jamie FlemingBoard Member ~ Jamie Fleming is a native of Beaufort SC.He is a Veteran of the United States Air Force and served in Operation Enduring Freedom as a satellite communication specialist.Having spent time in the NE, he attended Rutgers University-Newark. After college, he relocated back to Beaufort, where he helped shape the landscape of Youth Development and Education by creating an organization where youth could learn Digital MediaArts.He is currently the owner of a web design and development boutique, 1212 Design.He enjoys spending time with his family and two dogs.Joe FloydJoe Floyd is part of the founding Board of Directors that began their service in January 2018.Joe Floyd, a native of Whiteville, North Carolina, is the founder and CEO of InsureSign, a provider of electronic signature software. InsureSign is used by over 3000 businesses in the US and Canada to get documents filled and signed quickly and with full legal compliance. The company has offices in Charleston, SC and Chapel Hill, NC and was founded in 2011.Since 1993, Joe has also served as CEO of a family-owned insurance finance company, MPP, Inc. MPP is one of the largest insurance premium finance companies in the Carolinas, and during Joe's tenure has financed nearly $1 billion in property and casualty premiums.Joe graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has lived in Beaufort, SC since 2000 with his wife, Dr. Karen Eller and two children, Walker and Kirsten. While in Beaufort, Joe has served on the boards of both the NC and SC Premium Service Associations. He has also served terms as the Vice Chairman of the Historic Beaufort Foundation and on the Beaufort Academy Board of Directors.Dr. Robert “Bob” LeFavi, PhDBob LeFavi joined the Board of Directors in May 2019.Dr. Robert "Bob" LeFavi earned a Bachelor of Health Science degree from the University of Florida, an MBA from Nova Southeastern University, and a PhD in Health and Human Performance from Auburn University.Dr. LeFavi is currently Founding Dean of the Beaufort Campus for the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, where he is charged with growing the Beaufort Campus. Dr. LeFavi came to USCB from Georgia Southern University, where he was Head of Health Sciences, a department of approximately 2,000 students. Prior to his academic career, Bob was Founding Director of the Center for Health Promotion at Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Boynton Beach, FL. Dr. LeFavi has published more than 725 articles in the popular press and has published or presented over 60 research projects in scientific journals.An entrepreneur at heart, Dr. LeFavi has created six business in fitness, nutrition, and commercial real estate beginning in 1986, all of which are in still operation today. Bob has served as consultant to the Federal Trade Commission, has been quoted as an expert in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA Today, Parade magazine, and ESPN magazine, and has appeared on CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, CNN with Paula Zahn, and Inside Edition.Dr. LeFavi also holds a M.Div. degree from Erskine Theological Seminary, a D.Min. degree from The University of the South (Sewanee), and is ordained in both the Lutheran and the Anglican Churches. In his spare time, Dr. LeFavi enjoys traveling to Italy, where he has dual citizenship with the U.S. and where he brings groups annually.Bob and his wife, Sue, have been married for 35 years, and have three children – Leanne, a veterinarian in Atlanta; Michael, a graduate student at UGA; and Alex, a junior at George Washington University.Stephen MurrayStephen Murray is part of the founding Board of Directors that began their service in January 2018. But even prior to that, he was instrumental in the startup of the Beaufort Digital Corridor entity starting in 2016.Stephen is the CEO of Kazoobie Kazoos, a small manufacturing firm based in Beaufort that produces plastic kazoos and other fun musical instruments, and a two-time National Blue Ribbon Small Business Award Recipient from the US Chamber of Commerce. He also owns New South Shirts that specializes in digital garment printing, embroidery, event merchandising, and promotional products. Stephen is a third generation Beaufortonian and graduate of Beaufort High School. He is married and has twin three-year old girls.He is active in the civic community and currently serves on Beaufort City Council and Redevelopment Commission, and is acting Chairman of the Beaufort County Economic Development Corporation. Stephen is a Past Chairman of the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, Past President of the Leadership Beaufort Alumni Association, a Riley Institute Leadership Diversity Fellow, and a former Lowcountry Rotarian.Stephen's awards and honors include, Paul Harris Fellow, South Carolina Economic Development Ambassador representing Beaufort County, South Carolina Jaycee of the Year 2014, Lowcountry Young Professional BRCOC, and Community Service Award from the Sea Island Rotary.Leveraging Beaufort's renowned livability_f5d79636-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00To attract, nurture and promote Beaufort's technology entrepreneurs_f5d79726-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00TechnologyEntrepreneurshipLivabilityTech EnvironmentCreate a business, education, and social environment that is attractive to tech entrepreneurs and tech-related companies_f5d79942-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Tech EntrepreneursTech-Related CompaniesFocused on creating the business, education, and social environment that is attractive to tech entrepreneurs and tech-related companies, the BDC leverages its collaborative relationships, program elements, legislative access and contacts to assist companies with integrating them into the community. This integration is accomplished through four pillars...CommunityNurture our vibrant tech community_f5d79a46-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea001Charleston's Local Tech CommunityAs a grassroots, community-sourced initiative, Charleston's local tech community lies at the heart of everything that happens at the Digital Corridor. It is this fruitful engagement and collaboration that informs all our initiatives and has created the tech-friendly business environment that is leading to our tech economy growing well above the national average.Digital CorridorThe Digital Corridor engages in a range of business, social and education related programs and events to continually nurture our vibrant tech community.SupportProvide business and education services that support growing tech companies._f5d79b22-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Tactic 1.1ConnectionsHost events and showcases companies/leaders that drive the success of Charleston's thriving tech community._f5d79c08-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Tactic 1.2Talent_f5d79ce4-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea002The economic vitality, global competitiveness and prosperity of our country, and the Charleston community, depends on the skills of our workforce. Companies need well-educated, skilled employees to deliver their competitive products and services. The need for these skilled employees along with vetted outsourced resources is magnified in the tech industry where the technology landscape is evolving at an unprecedented rate.DevelopmentExpand Charleston's technical talent pool through training and mentorship._f5d79dca-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Tactic 2.1CharlestonConnectionsMatch qualified career seekers with technical job openings and companies with vetted service partners._f5d79eba-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Tactic 2.2SupportProvide augmentative business services, education and networking events._f5d7a04a-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea00Tactic 2.3SpacesMeet the unique needs of technology entrepreneurs seeking flexible office space and conference facilities_f5d7a144-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea003Technology EntrepreneursFlagship @ the Charleston Tech CenterLAUNCHED: April 2021FOCUS: Early-stage tech + life sciences teamsLOCATION: Downtown CharlestonPARKING: Adjacent 816 space public parking deckSIZE: 15,000 sq ftOFFICES: 33 + 14 Co-working nooksIDEAL FOR: 1-15 personsFlagship - WestEdgeLAUNCHED: April 2020FOCUS: Early-stage tech and life sciences companiesLOCATION: Downtown CharlestonSIZE: 8,000 square feetOFFICES: 15IDEAL FOR: 1-15 personsFlagship - BridgeLAUNCHED: January 2019RETIRED: December 2020FOCUS: Start-up to early-stage companiesLOCATION: Downtown CharlestonSIZE: 15,000 square feetOFFICES: 22IDEAL FOR: 1-12 personsFlagship2LAUNCHED: June 2011RETIRED: December 2018FOCUS: Early-stage tech and life sciences companiesLOCATION: Downtown CharlestonSIZE: 13,700 sq ftOFFICES: 16IDEAL FOR: 2-10 personsFlagshipLAUNCHED: June 2009RETIRED: December 2018FOCUS: Early-stage tech and life sciences companiesLOCATION: Downtown CharlestonSIZE: 5,200 sq ftOFFICES: 14IDEAL FOR: 1-3 personsThe Flagships are not coworking shops, incubators, accelerators or innovation centers - they are a mash up of all these things with a changing personality around the makeup of our residents.These specifically purposed offices, located in Downtown Charleston, are designed to facilitate the development of Charleston's tech economy by meeting the unique needs of technology entrepreneurs seeking flexible office space and conference facilities of the highest quality, while allowing residents access to the Charleston Digital Corridor's network of like-minded professionals.CapitalAggregate investors and make curated information available to tech entrepreneurs operating in the Charleston's community_f5d7a23e-c7cd-11ec-bd06-0bbc0883ea004Tech EntrepreneursCharleston CommunityAlerion VenturesSTAGES: EARLY-STAGE GROWTH SUSTAINED GROWTH | INDUSTRIES: TECH-RELATED SAAS ~ Alerion Ventures is an evergreen venture capital firm focused on early stage investments in scalable startups. Based in Charleston, SC, Alerion prefers to partner with entrepreneurs in the Southeast.Lighter CapitalSTAGES: SUSTAINED GROWTH EARLY-STAGE GROWTH | INDUSTRIES: TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE SAAS ~ Lighter Capital is an online revenue-based lender focused on providing technology companies up to $2 million in growth capital. We use our proprietary technology to streamline the loan process for entrepreneurs so they can stay focused on running their business and get the funding they need less than 4 weeks. Based in Seattle, we work with companies across the US. Since 2010, we have provided 150+ financings to over 110 tech entrepreneurs.Charleston Angel PartnersSTAGES: SEED SERIES A SERIES B | INDUSTRIES: MEDICAL DEVICE SAAS TECH ~ Founded in 2004, Charleston Angel Partners is the area’s longest-tenured and most established angel investment group. The top priority of Charleston Angel Partners is to make investing simple and profitable for both our member investors and for our entrepreneurs. We believe a transparent investment process for all parties is an important part of our organization. We believe that meaningful economic impact happens when great people support great ideas. Investing in innovation will accelerate Charleston, and the Southeast, into the future, creating an environment of aspiration, excitement, and prosperity.Palmetto Angel FundSTAGES: STARTUP EARLY-STAGE GROWTH | INDUSTRIES: TECH-RELATED MOBILE MEDICAL DEVICES ~ The Palmetto Angel Fund is a committed capital fund that co-invests alongside the angel groups that are part of the South Carolina Angel Network. The fund is designed to provide angel investors access to a high-quality, diversified portfolio of early stage investments while aggregating more capital for promising entrepreneurs.Capital is a critical component for any company seeking to grow. The Digital Corridor's role is not to aggregate capital but instead to aggregate investors and make curated information available to tech entrepreneurs operating in the Charleston's community in an efficient manner. Entrepreneurs seeking capital may reach out to us at anytime for guidance and referral to possible capital resources.Additionally, a variety of capital-related educational & pitch events are occasionally hosted by the Corridor and held at our Flagship facilities. Check our calendar for upcoming events. If you are interested in being added to our list of investors or presenting at an event, please contact us for more information.2022-04-29https://www.beaufortdigital.com/about/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net