Becoming the only Tech Hub with a statewide footprint
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has approved a request to expand the geographic footprint of SC NEXUS for Advanced Resilient Energy (SC NEXUS) to include the entire state of South Carolina. This approval officially recognizes the initiative as a statewide Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub), marking the first statewide designation for any U.S. Tech Hub.
SC NEXUS, a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, was originally designated under the federal Tech Hubs program with a focus on the Midlands, Upstate and the Augusta, Georgia regions. The approved expansion aligns the hub’s official boundaries with its current operations, partnerships and impact, which now span from the Upstate to the Lowcountry.
“This approval proves that South Carolina’s advanced energy strengths extend statewide,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “From cutting-edge research and testing to manufacturing and workforce development, innovation is happening in every corner of the state. This expansion better connects these assets, strengthening competitiveness and positioning South Carolina to remain a national leader in energy innovation.”
The statewide designation formally includes major federally supported assets such as Clemson University’s Economic Development through Grid Emulation (EDGE) testbed in the Charleston region, alongside the Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation (CIBI) at the University of South Carolina and the Grid-Enabled Cyber Operations (GECO) Range led by Savannah River National Laboratory. Together, these testbeds anchor SC NEXUS’ statewide network of universities, utilities, manufacturers and workforce partners, creating a platform that helps companies de-risk new technologies, accelerate commercialization, strengthen domestic supply chains critical to national and energy security, and support job creation and private investment across every region of South Carolina.
Why This Expansion Matters for South Carolina
• Boosts South Carolina’s national competitiveness in advanced energy technologies
• Connects statewide assets across research, manufacturing, logistics and workforce training
• Supports economic growth in both urban and rural communities
• Strengthens energy and national security through grid resilience, cybersecurity and supply-chain innovation
• Creates pathways for high-quality jobs tied to emerging and energy-intensive industries
Since its designation, SC NEXUS has demonstrated strong momentum. For every $1 of federal funding invested through the CHIPS and Science Act, the initiative has leveraged an additional $1.77 in state, private and other funding. Over the same period, nine energy-related companies have announced new investments in South Carolina, representing nearly $2.9 billion in capital investment and more than 2,000 new jobs.
State leaders have strongly supported SC NEXUS and the Tech Hubs program as tools to drive innovation, workforce development and long-term competitiveness across South Carolina. “This is about making sure South Carolina is positioned to develop, test and deploy the next generation of energy technologies,” Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said. “A statewide SC NEXUS ensures that opportunity, investment and innovation reach every region of the state.”
The geographic expansion is administrative in nature and does not change existing project scopes or budgets. Instead, it reflects the reality of a fully connected, statewide energy innovation ecosystem and reinforces South Carolina’s role as a national leader in advanced and resilient energy technologies.