SCC's Spark Center: Office of Economic Development
Take a Virtual Tour of Spark Center SC
Having created over 100,000 jobs and a nearly $40 billion impact for the betterment of South Carolina and the businesses residing here, the Spark isn't just here to help-- it's here to make a real change. The primary focus of the Spark Center SC is to promote a network of collaboration amongst economic development organizations, government, business, and education as a means to better develop a business-friendly environment. The Spark is a foreign trade zone, located along the I-85 corridor on Highway 290 in Duncan, at the SCC Tyger River Campus, a designated enterprise campus.
The Spark offers the most vital resource needed by any new or expanding business: space. The Spark allows flexibility in design, no matter the needs of the individual client, offering a practical area of more than 363,000 square footage. In exchange for provided services, business clients consent to locate their permanent facility within Spartanburg County.
No matter if you're a new or already established business looking to expand, relocate, or would like to learn more about the Spark and its programs, fill out a form today!
Four Major Sectors of Spark
At the Spark Center SC, there's something for every business, big and small, old and new. Explore our variety of offerings to find the right one for you!
The intended outcome of the Soft Landings Program is to improve each client's chances of success once the company has moved to a permanent residence. Instead of losing professional momentum while searching for a new space, get started right away through our SLP sector. For any qualifying foreign or domestic company planning to locate in Spartanburg County, your business will be provided a furnished office space and basic office services for up to one year.
The program will provide your company with coordinated contacts for services like cultural assistance, language translation services, entry assistance, immigration and visa assistance, government regulations, accounting, financial, legal, housing assistance, utilities and many others. Additionally, the Soft Landings Program has been designed to supply information and coordinate resources for training seminars, tech support, global trade information, market research, referrals, community relations and networking.
With the assistance of the Small Business Incubator program in addition to a functional space and basic office services, clients will receive the needed foundation to start, move forward or reorganize their business without worrying about high overhead costs.
Member companies with the SBI program will have access to many internal tools like The International Business Innovation Association resources, professional assistance from volunteer business partners including legal advice, accounting, credit management, financial planning, product development, and market research.
Through the SBI's Mentor Program (provided by the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce), clients are matched with experienced owners of small businesses. By partnering with these business owners, clients can take a huge step forward toward entrepreneurial success through the access to valuable insider advice on overcoming professional obstacles. Additionally, SBI can even introduce clients to potential Venture Capital and Angel Investors interested in investing in the growth of new companies.
By working with SCC, partnered with the South Carolina Department of Employment & Workforce and ReadySC, qualifying companies planning to locate in Spartanburg County will receive access to temporary office and training space to meet the company's developmental needs. The services offered when you partner with the WES sector include:
- Advertisement in the news media
- On-site applications, including screening and pre-employment interviews
- Pre-employment orientation and training with no cost or obligation to the company on the employee or employer's part
- Post-employment training with job-oriented skill areas
- For current tenants of SC, access to WES will be included as an added benefit
Through these services, your company will receive the opportunity to better analyze potential employees within a functional working environment. Additionally, potential employees will get the chance to learn more about the company prior to a final decision being made on the hire. Ultimately, this will make for a better, more cohesive fit between your company and its employees.
For already established businesses and industry partners, Spark Center SC is here to help through Special Projects. Through this program your company will have the opportunity and the needed space to test a new product line or manufacturing process, train new and existing employees, or even store temporary warehouse inventory.
In addition, companies experiencing disaster situations may qualify for temporary space at the Spark while sorting out insurance and needed repairs.
SCC & the Spark
Since 2007, in order to better connect and expand our community with the help of others, Spartanburg Community College has served as a primary factor in the economic growth of Spartanburg County, having created over 122,000 jobs, served 144 companies and created a $39.6 billion impact to South Carolina through the Spark. In turn, the partnership between Spartanburg County and the Area Chamber Economic Futures Group was strengthened.
Serving as an effective tool in the effort to assist entrepreneurs and businesses with launching, building, expansion and reorganization, the Spark Center SC is a primary resource for business development here at SCC.
“It was exceptionally good for us in terms of logistics. We were fortunate to have one place we could identify everyone could come and have the resources available to execute our project plan. The Spark Center provided us a lot of resources that you would normally have to do in a construction trailer, and that doesn’t allow for a lot of collaboration with that many people. We set up a simulation of our manufacturing equipment in the Spark Center so we could start training immediately.”
- Chuck Hollingsworth, Operations Launch Director
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