Shumaker Partners with NEXT to Help Greenville Startups Thrive

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Shumaker is partnering with NEXT to help budding entrepreneurs successfully launch their startups.

Shumaker is collaborating with NEXT and acting as first partner for launching the Founders Session, which is the first in a series of events geared toward early-stage founders who are past the idea stage and are committed to pursuing a venture with high-growth, multi-million dollar potential.

“When startups born in Greenville succeed, it’s a win for our whole community,” said Shumaker Partner Jason Smith. “Our goal is to be difference makers. We want to equip local founders with the resources they need, so we can grow a thriving tech industry and more jobs in our hometown.”

The first event will be Tuesday, October 4, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the NEXT Innovation Center (411 University Ridge, Greenville, SC). Shumaker Partners Jason Smith and Patrick Horne will lead a discussion on intellectual property law.

“In the beginning, many entrepreneurs are working solo or have a small team. They are going a million miles an hour,” said Shumaker Partner and Intellectual Property and Technology Regional Service Line Leader Patrick Horne. “However, there are key legal issues they must face head on before real problems arise. It is exciting to use our years of experience in business law to give back and help local entrepreneurs succeed.”

For the tech sector, intellectual property (IP) and patent disputes, followed by cybersecurity and data protection issues, are among the top legal matters facing tech company managers, according to the Annual Litigation Trends Survey released this year.

In addition to partnering with the NEXT Founders Forum, Shumaker was the presenting title sponsor of the NEXT Venture Summit Founder’s Session in Greenville on September 22, which was geared toward connecting startups with venture capitalists.