South Carolina Research Authority

South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) will create the South Carolina Medical Device Alliance (MDA) to facilitate and accelerate the commercialization of medical technologies, build entrepreneurial capabilities among students, faculty and clinicians, and foster startup formation in the sector.

This multi-stakeholder partnership, comprised of Clemson University (CU), Medical University of South Carolina, and industry leaders will leverage the vast and disparate medical device capabilities resident in South Carolina to grow the economic impact of the sector through job creation and startup formation, as well as to attract international businesses to establish a presence in South Carolina. The MDA will advance technologies to market by designing solutions, determining initial commercial feasibility, de-risking innovations with multidisciplinary teams, and launching startups that have been rigorously evaluated by industry experts.

Five years after the end of the grant, the MDA expects to have formed 23 new startups, created 100 new jobs, filed 320 new patents, and launched or licensed 13 new technologies.