Benedict College Advances Innovation with Cohort 4 Graduates
Columbia, SC — Benedict College proudly hosted Demo Day for Cohort #4 of the Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator (BCSIA). Demo Day celebrated the achievements of seven dynamic early-stage founders from across South Carolina. The festive presentation was held in the Little Theater of the Fine Arts Building on the campus of Benedict College and the event drew an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, including investors, banking partners, and members of the community.
Since its inception in 2023, the BCSIA has supported 20 early-stage founders, helping to launch and scale promising businesses that contribute to the economic development of the South Carolina entrepreneurial ecosystem. Demo Day serves as a capstone event—showcasing the innovation, dedication, and entrepreneurial growth of each founder.
This was the second Demo Day event held since Wells Fargo Foundation and Truist Bank joined as key financial supporters of the program, reinforcing the Accelerator’s mission to empower diverse entrepreneurs statewide.
“We are immensely proud of our alumni and all they have accomplished,” said Millicent B. Lann, Program Director. “Their dedication and resilience throughout the Benedict College Statewide Investment Accelerator have prepared our founders for a successful future.”
Lann also extend a heartfelt thanks to BCSIA partners at Catalyst Labs—Shondra Washington (CEO), Harold Hughes (CXO), and Tiffany Hughes (Program Manager), for delivering their impactful curriculum that has proven instrumental in the success of their founders.
The event was a powerful demonstration of entrepreneurial spirit, with family, friends, investors, and community members rallying behind the graduates as they prepare to take their ventures to the next level.
