NextGEN Events
Bringing people together – to learn, to connect, and to celebrate – is what drives action in our ecosystem forward.
Upcoming NextGEN Events
- Workshop
Unlock the Genius Within: A Workshop
Next Innovation Center 411 University Ridge Greenville, SC 29601 United States- Workshop
Understanding Term Sheets
Next Innovation Center 411 University Ridge Greenville, SC 29601 United StatesWorkshops provide routine educational opportunities that are hands on, interactive, and help move startups forward on a specified topic with the assistance of a subject matter expert or founder. Join NextGEN and Cliff Holekamp, Managing Director & General Partner of Cultivation Capital, one of the most active early-stage venture capital firms in the United States for this information-packed workshop on term sheets.
- Networking
- Social Event
- SUDsGVL
SUDsGVL (Startup Drinks)
New Realm 912 S. Main StSUDsGVL, or StartupDrinks, returns in March! This unstructured networking event is open to entrepreneurs, ecosystem allies, and all community members of the #StartupGVL ecosystem. The first drink is on us!
- Founders Forum
- Networking
- Social Event
Equitable Access to Capital: Social Capital
Next Innovation Center 411 University Ridge Greenville, SC 29601 United StatesFounders Forum is an educational series from NextGEN designed for entrepreneurs, their teams, and their supporters BY entrepreneurs, created to connect, inspire, and educate in core disciplines relevant to all startups and activate the ecosystem at large. Accessing the right kind of capital can be a game-changer for entrepreneurs, yet navigating the funding landscape is often overwhelming and complex. This series of panels is designed to equip founders with insights into a variety of funding and capital options. This month we will be focusing on social capital - what is it, why is it important, and how do you cultivate it?
NextGEN Community Events
Our two annual community events, Launchpad and Venture Summit, serve as lightning rods for the #StartupGVL ecosystem.
Save the date: Venture Summit will be September 16 & 17, 2025!

We can’t wait to welcome you back to the Upstate for the 9th annual Next Venture Summit, featuring Investor Match Day, in September 2024.
This event has been assisting startups in the Carolinas with connections for their capital needs since 2016, with educational content from top speakers and the opportunity for high-impact, high-growth ventures to showcase their innovations to more than 20 top investors representing over $1 Billion in capital.

New businesses, whether a side hustle or venture-backed, need advice and encouragement to grow and flourish. Launchpad is an event designed to showcase, celebrate and help launch Greenville’s up-and-coming early-stage businesses.
The second-annual #StartupGVL Launchpad concluded in April 2023. Check out the highlights on our blog.

StartupDrinks is an unstructured networking event powered by NextGEN for the local startup community. The first drink is always on us – come join other entrepreneurs and ecosystem allies to connect in a cultivated, peer group setting.
We’re bringing SUDsGVL back May 8th, 2024!