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Founder Institute Mentors

South Carolina 2025

Founder Institute Mentors join weekly feedback sessions, host office hours, and in general provide you feedback every step of the way. In addition, through our Equity Collective, Mentors are invested in the success of your company both during and after the program.

See the list of current and past mentors for the South Carolina program below.

Mentors

Adrian

Adrian Pelkus

Artificer, Inventing with Adrian, LLC
Allen

Allen Amsler

CEO, McCrory Construction Company
Ben

Ben Rex

CEO, CyberWoven
Bobby

Bobby Cone

IT Strategy and Solutions, MPC, LLC
Brandon

Brandon Noel

Entrpreneur, Data Droplets Inc.
Brandon

Brandon Gantt

Founder & CEO, SAPi
Carrie

Carrie Turner

Director of Marketing, Central South Carolina Alliance
Chad

Chad Hardaway

Deputy Director, Office of Economic Engagement, University of South Carolina
Chandler

Chandler Kellogg

Director of Growth Marketing, hotbutton.io
Chase

Chase Heatherley

FI Mentor
Chris

Chris Praet

President, Progress Carolina
Chris

Chris Heivly

Managing Director, Build The Fort
Chuck

Chuck Bland

VP Enterprise Accounts, VitalConnect Inc
Daniel

Daniel Andrews

FI Mentor
Daniel

Daniel Andrews

Networking concierge, Network In Action
David

David Campbell

COO, Chernoff Newman
Dean

Dean Schuster

Co Founder, truematter
Dirk

Dirk Brown

Director, McNair Institute for Entrepreneurism and Free Enterprise, University of South Carolina
Dwayne

Dwayne Sutton

FI Mentor
Emma

Emma Morris

CEO, The Morris Group
Gore

Gore Bolton

Serial Entrepreneur and Angel Investor, DA Group, Inc.
Grace

Grace Belangia

CEO and Co Founder, Make Startups
Jason

Jason Williamson

Business Unit Leader, Thorlabs
Jay

Jay Vierling

CEO and Founder, AEV Capital
Jennifer

Jennifer Randall Collins

CEO, Liquorum Holdings
Jim

Jim Stritzinger

CEO, Revolution D, Inc
John

John Denise

CEO, Advanced Automation Consulting Inc
John

John Busch

CEO, Blue Heron INternational
John

John Saleeby

Growth Advisor, University of South Carolina
John

John DaWalt

Senior Vice President, Merrill Lynch
KEVIN

KEVIN WILLIAMS

CEO, Cognizant Leadership
Lasenta

Lasenta Lewis Ellis

CEO, LLE Construction
Laura

Laura Boccanfuso

CEO, Van Robotics
Lee

Lee Macilwinen

Investment Manager, SCRA
Lila Anna

Lila Anna Sauls

FI Mentor
Lorraine

Lorraine Wiseman

Vistage Chair/ President and CEO , Vistage Worldwide, Inc./ Leading the Wise Way Inc.
Marlon

Marlon Walters

FI Mentor
Peter

Peter Schwartz

CEO Chair, Vistage
Ram

Ram Reddy

CEO, MyTecSoft
Russell

Russell Cook

Managing Director, Comporium Ventures
Rusty

Rusty Farrell

Partner, President, True Matter, LLC
Sam

Sam Johnson

Advisor, Greengate Strategy
Sam

Sam Hancock

President, American Stainless
Satish

Satish Cherukumalli

CEO/Founder, TrakItNow, Inc.
Sergio

Sergio Aparico

FI Mentor
Tamika

Tamika Washington

Owner, The Converspace
Thaddeus

Thaddeus Jones

FI Mentor
Tia Williams

Tia Williams Nelson

FI Mentor
Tommy

Tommy Crutchfield

Director, Imedion, Inc.
Wade

Wade Caughman

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, JAMS+STARK

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