Outreach : Collaborations
At the Spiro Institute, we work closely with several organizations in advancing our outreach initiatives.
Alliance for Ethics, Enterprise & Entrepreneurship
The Clemson University Alliance for Ethics, Enterprise, and Entrepreneurship is an alliance between The Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, the Robert J. Rutland Center for Ethics, and the Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership. The purpose of the Alliance is to explore important social and economic issues at the intersection of these three focal points. The Alliance holds an annual forum through which complex relevant issues can be examined and debated.
Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technology at Clemson University
The Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET), directed by Dr. John Ballato, and the Spiro Institute have received a $600,000 Partnerships for Innovation grant from the National Science Foundation to implement a plan to create a Center of Economic Excellence in Photonic Materials leading to a photonics materials cluster centered in the upstate region of South Carolina. The long-range goal is to create a model for technology-based economic development in SC that can be replicated and extended for other promising technology sectors.
Ernst & Young Carolinas Entrepreneur of the Year ® Program
Since 2002, the Spiro Institute has been the Master Panel Patron for the Ernst & Young Carolinas Region Entrepreneur of the Year® award competition. Each year, we host a panel composed of winners and finalists from this competition to share their experiences with Clemson students and members of the Upstate business community.
InnoVenture Conference
The Spiro Institute is a founding organizational sponsor of the annual InnoVenture conference. InnoVenture is an innovation and venture capital conference that provides a forum for inventors, entrepreneurs and inventors to support the growth of high-impace companies in the Southeast. For more information, visit http://www.innoventurese.com/.
InnoVision Awards Program
The Spiro Institute has sponsored the Technology Development Award of the InnoVision Technology Awards Program for six consecutive years. This annual awards banquet celebrates achievements in innovation and technological excellence in the 10-county South Carolina Upstate region. For more information, visit http://www.innovisionaward.org/.
NEXT
The Spiro Institute is a founding organizational partner of NEXT, an entrepreneurial resource collaborative supporting technology entrepreneurs in the Upstate of South Carolina. NEXT provides three important services: concierge assistance, infrastructure development and public advocacy. For more information, visit www.nextgreenville.com.
Office of Technology Transfer, Clemson University
The Spiro Institute assists the Technology Transfer Office within the Clemson University Research Foundation (CURF) in performing market assessments of university technologies being considered for commercialization, when requested. A representative of the Spiro Institute also serves on the CURF’s Intellectual Property Committee.
Other Collaborations and Partnerships
The Spiro Institute also collaborates with and makes referrals to other organizations to better serve the needs of inventors and entrepreneurs in the state.