Competing in the world market for talent, technology, capital and jobs, the Upstate’s economic transition hinges on the ability to bridge its deep roots in manufacturing with an entrepreneurial environment that can generate new ideas, technologies, products and processes. Formed by the Greenville Chamber of Commerce in 2006, the NEXT Initiative is an economic development program dedicated to transforming the area’s economy by attracting and promoting the growth of start-up knowledge-based businesses. Starting with 5 member companies, the NEXT Initiative has grown into a thriving 64-company technology team. The Initiative’s home base is the 60,000 sq. ft. NEXT Innovation Center. The inspiration for the project was discovered during an inter-community visit to Dublin, the digital hub of Ireland. During the trip the team recognized that the most basic requirement for high growth entrepreneurial companies is quality office and research space in an atmosphere conducive to recruitment and collaboration. Upon return the City connected the NEXT entrepreneurs to the project developer to renovate an existing dilapidated building with office suites up to 15,000 sq. ft. in size, single rental cubes, single rental enclosed offices, conference rooms and collaboration rooms.