South Carolina
The South Carolina Council on Competitiveness is an alliance between the public and private sectors that aims to foster economic competitiveness in South Carolina. It has created several specialized clusters that state businesses can join to engage in efforts to boost both efficiency and innovation within individual industries. The council also drives numerous initiatives to create a direction for businesses that wish to foster economic development in South Carolina with events, resources, and publications.
The South Carolina Department of Commerce works to promote economic opportunities for businesses and individuals. The department serves as the government's contact point for both international trade support as well as foreign direct investment. Its website provides information on the state and the benefits of doing business within it, a resource finder for important business questions, and a listing of business events in the state. The data and resources section additionally includes in-depth information on counties, economic outlook, and recent publications.
The South Carolina District Export Council (SCDEC) is an organization made up of local business leaders with an extensive knowledge of international business who work to provide counseling and mentoring, educational seminars, export opportunity awareness, and news on international issues affecting South Carolina. The SCDEC site provides a brief background of the council itself, upcoming events, and links to other resources for promoting international trade.
The Small Business Development Center of South Carolina (SBDC) aims to provide small businesses with the assistance they need to compete both domestically and abroad. It offers general and specialized consulting, employee development services, and communication facilities for engaging in video conferencing. It is located in 14 different locations across South Carolina, and its website contains a list of online community and civic resources and links.
The South Carolina World Trade Center has a goal to help the state's economy by helping businesses succeed in the international arena. It assists companies in exporting, importing, and other areas of international trade. The goal of this organization is to increase profits and to create international opportunities for South Carolina companies of all sizes.
The South Carolina branch of the Department of Commerce specializes in helping small to medium-sized companies develop and execute exporting strategies. Fees vary and are based on the service being provided. Links and contact information for the three main offices serving the state are also provided. The site offers an exporter's resource database as well as a list of upcoming trade events.
The Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) at the University of South Carolina is a research organization tasked with facilitating international trade for American businesses. It provides international education resources, research, and training activities that help U.S. businesses prosper in an international economy. This website contains links to the university's events, working papers, and educational program lists.