Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

Beer & Napkins x Global Service Jam 2025 – A Weekend of Innovation

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At Beer & Napkins, we believe that the best ideas don’t start in boardrooms—they start in community spaces, over conversations, and through hands-on collaboration. That’s why we are thrilled to co-host the Greenville Service Jam 2025, a 48-hour global innovation sprint where participants will brainstorm, prototype, and test real-world solutionsusing human-centered design.

This event aligns perfectly with our Napkins to Prototype (N2P) Initiative, which is all about taking raw ideas and turning them into tangible, actionable solutions through rapid experimentation, creativity, and collaboration.

What is the Global Service Jam?

The Global Service Jam is a worldwide event happening simultaneously in cities across the globe. Teams form around a secret theme and work through design thinking and rapid prototyping to develop innovative services and solutions.

Greenville last participated in 2013, and now we’re bringing it back with new energy and new ideas.

Why You Should Join

  • Work with a diverse group of innovators, designers, and entrepreneurs
  • Develop hands-on skills in service design, prototyping, and creative problem-solving
  • Engage with mentors, business leaders, and like-minded thinkers from across the community
  • Be part of a global movement where ideas turn into action

Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur, an aspiring designer, a student eager to learn, or simply someone who loves solving problems, this is your chance to create something impactful.

Event Details

📍 Location: Synergy Mill, Greenville, SC
📅 Dates: February 21-23, 2025
🔗 Register Now: Sign Up Here

At Beer & Napkins, we are committed to building a community of creative doers. Join us for this incredible experience and help shape the future of innovation in Greenville.

How to Get Involved

  • Register for the Jam and be part of this hands-on design challenge
  • Mentor emerging talent and share your expertise with the next generation of innovators
  • Sponsor or support the event to help make it an even bigger success

Spots are limited, so secure yours today. We can’t wait to jam with you!

Beer & Napkins Brewside Chat Ft, Joey Loman, Founder of SynergyMill

We’re thrilled to welcome the incredible Joe Loman, a true renaissance man, to our Brewside Chat. Joe’s unique vision and hands-on experience with Makers Spaces and fostering innovation ecosystems are not to be missed. He’ll share his insights on Napkins to Prototype, an approach that takes raw ideas from brainstorming sessions to tangible startups in the ecosystem.

As a key figure in the Greenville entrepreneurial scene, Joe has been pivotal in shaping our idea community. His work with TEDxGVL and his founding of SynergyMill, a creative haven for innovators, tinkerers, and budding entrepreneurs, have made him a local champion of collaborative spaces. Now, in partnership with Beer and Napkins, Joe is pushing boundaries, taking ideas from the “third places” (pubs, cafes, community spaces) and transforming them into prototypes. Through this Napkins to Prototype initiative, he’s lighting the path from casual conversation to startup creation.

Get ready to dive into Joe’s journey of building connections and empowering creativity across the Upstate! Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creative, or simply curious, this is a chance to connect, learn, and be inspired.

About the Idea Forger Community
We are part of the Beer and Napkins Communities of Growth, where we unite people from all walks of life to generate, nurture, and share groundbreaking ideas. Our Meetups provide a collaborative space for brainstorming and grassroots innovation, from early-stage concepts to cutting-edge technologies. Plus, we offer access to a supportive network of creatives, thinkers, and entrepreneurs.

Don’t miss this opportunity to spark your next big idea!
Join us at Fireforge Crafted Beer for an inspiring night of conversation, connection, and creativity. We can’t wait to see you there!

Welcome to the Idea Forger Community! We are a part of the Beer and Napkins Communities of Growth. We aim to bring together individuals from diverse backgrounds to generate innovative and exceptional ideas that benefit everyone. Whether it’s a startup concept or an application of new technologies, our Meetups encourage informal brainstorming sessions and support grassroots innovation. Additionally, we provide access to a network of talented individuals and the startup ecosystem.

We invite you to join our Monthly Meetup at Fireforge Crafted Beer. This event is a fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded creatives and engage in supportive conversations to help you thrive and grow as an innovator.

Beer and Napkins Supports Furman University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Scholarships available for their new GVL Starts Entrepreneurship Program

Beer and Napkins is excited to be supporting Furman University’s Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship GVL Starts. For a program overview, please visit  https://www.furman.edu/innovation-entrepreneurship/programs/gvl-starts/  or for more information, contact [email protected]

The Institute will give a 50% scholarship to the first 5 who apply (so it would only be $149). Just enter “50% Beer and Napkins Scholarship” in question 18/last question of the application. For application, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GVLSTARTS 

MESHSC: Cultivating Biotech Talent in South Carolina

Is South Carolina prepared for Biotech?

With the advent of exponential technologies, the Life Science and Biotech industry continues to drive forward with ever increasing speed. Is South Carolina’s workforce ready?

We will continue our MESH-SC conversation about biotech with Julian Nixon, Professor of Anatomy & Physiology and Department Head of Biological Sciences at Greenville Technical College  Julian will share an educational perspective of how students are being prepared for biotech careers. We will also tour Greenville Technical Colleges state of the art biotech lab.

Christian Graves, President of the Carolina Biotech Group will share an industry update and key developments in life science and biotech in South Carolina. He will also provide an industry perspective of what we need to do to prepare the SC workforce for careers of biotech.