Two SCRA Technology Ventures Companies Advance in Southern Series Pitch Contest

SCRA Technology Ventures today announced that two Charleston-area SC Launch companies are finalists in the 36|86 "Southern Series" Pitch Contest. Echovate and Good Done Great are two of four southern companies to advance in the competition after a mini-series event in Columbia, SC. Winners will be selected at the Southern Series event held in Nashville, TN in June.

The Southern Series aims to find some of the most promising early stage companies throughout the region for 36|86, an initiative of LaunchTN that celebrates southern culture and entrepreneurship. Launch Tennessee, in conjunction with local partners, is conducting a 36|86 mini-series in some of the leading entrepreneurial hubs in the southeast. Most recently this included Columbia, SC, in an event held with the Iron Yard.

Each mini-series event invites ten applicants to pitch to a group of judges. Four winners are announced for each regional event that will then advance to the LaunchTN inaugural 36|86 conference in June to pitch for prizes and a $36,000 reward.

Echovate is leveraging predictive analytics, workforce science and data. Echovate provides fact-based hiring to small businesses. 80% of hiring in the United States is done by small business and the average turnover is 25%. Echovate is helping them improve the talent selection and management process. Their November beta test launched with 800 users.

Good Done Great is a social enterprise made up of committed professionals with extensive experience both working and volunteering at nonprofits, and developing solutions at nonprofit technology companies. The company is dedicated to making a lasting impact through a social mission that uses technology to aid corporations and individuals with their corporate giving.

"We are delighted that these two companies are recognized for their innovation and entrepreneurship," said SCRA CEO Bill Mahoney. "As we continue to foster our high-tech economy in South Carolina, we are proud to support emerging South Carolina companies like these and help position them for further investment. We wish them well as they take this opportunity to gain regional recognition and additional capital."

About SCRA Technology Ventures

http://www.scra.org/

SCRA Technology Ventures enables research commercialization and promotes the development of high tech industries, enhancing South Carolina’s technology-based economy. Through its flagship SC Launch program, this SCRA business sector makes investments in and offers support services to South Carolina’s early stage, start-up technology companies.

Multiple economic impact studies show SCRA's cumulative output on South Carolina's economy to be over $18.1 billion, and that the company has helped create approximately 15,000 technology-related jobs in the state, with annual wages averaging between $55,000 and $77,000.

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