In the heart of South Carolina, Aiken is on the cusp of a transformative era, poised to become a beacon of innovation and economic growth. The construction of $171 million in new facilities is set to foster a unique synergy between scientists, educators, researchers, cybersecurity experts, and local industries, creating an ecosystem that will attract high-tech investment and drive local economic development.
The Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative (AMC), a $50 million facility nearing completion on the University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) campus, is the cornerstone of this initiative. This 60,000 square foot hub will house over 100 scientists and engineers from the Department of Energy’s Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), focusing on advanced manufacturing technologies. “We anticipate the AMC will catalyze economic growth in the region by providing the opportunity to work with world-class scientists and engineers on next-generation manufacturing technologies,” said Daren Timmons, director of the AMC and director of technology partnerships at SRNL. The AMC’s strategic placement at USCA is designed to showcase SRNL’s research and development capabilities, making it more accessible to external partners, including academia, industry, and entrepreneurs.
Timmons, who previously served as dean of the USCA College of Sciences & Engineering and provost, emphasized the facility’s potential to enhance educational opportunities. “I’ve always been excited about the mission and the place that USC Aiken holds in the community,” he said. “Being able to continue to facilitate professional experiences for students in the facility, I’m very excited about that. It gives us greater and simpler opportunities to provide internships, capstone projects, and the like.”
Eric Parker, co-founder and CEO of Make Startups, an Augusta-based nonprofit, sees the AMC as a game-changer for local entrepreneurs. “Timing for the AMC is perfect,” Parker said. “We’ve supported dozens of startups that are in the manufacturing space, but we’ve never had a resource at this scale that we could point them to. Typically, we had to rely on resources that were based in the Atlanta region.”
The AMC is just one piece of the puzzle. Groundbreaking for two additional assets is scheduled for May 27: the $31.8 million, 43,000 square foot S.C. National Guard Cyber Integration Center and the $13 million, 24,000 square foot S.C. National Guard Readiness Center. Both facilities will be located on the USC Aiken campus and will focus on cybersecurity and readiness training. Maj. General Jeff Jones, deputy adjutant general of the S.C. National Guard, highlighted the importance of proximity in fostering collaboration. “There’s no better region of the state right now where I believe you can maximize the power of proximity with your partners in this collaborative work,” he said.
The Cyber Integration Center will also house USCA’s Regional Security Operations Center, a student-run cybersecurity service provided to school districts and local municipalities. Scott McKay, associate vice chancellor of research at USC Aiken and dean of the College of Sciences and Engineering, noted that the university’s engineering department, which is adding an electrical engineering degree, will be housed in the AMC. “In the last three years we’ve really concentrated on building those programs that support this whole cyber innovation hub, along with STEM in the critical areas of computer science and engineering,” McKay said.
Another critical component is the $56 million Career & Technology Center, under construction on the campus of Aiken Technical College. This 100,000-square-foot facility, expected to be completed by fall 2026, will replace the district’s current center and enhance educational opportunities for students. Aiken Technical College President Forest Mahan highlighted the potential for synergy between the school district’s curriculum and the college’s programs. “The construction of the Career & Technology Center is going to be an opportunity that will allow for better synergy between the school district’s curriculum and our curriculum to allow not only for dual enrollment, but also direct transfer into our programs,” Mahan said.
The impact of these developments extends beyond education and training. Mitch Smith, a senior investment manager in the SC Launch program of the South Carolina Research Authority, sees the potential for significant economic growth. “Patents produced by the SRNL could be a key driver of local investment,” he said. “We could hopefully find investors to come in and invest in these patents and start these companies right there in Aiken.”
Will Williams, president and CEO of the Western SC Economic Development Partnership, echoed this sentiment. “It will have a positive impact on the area and it will certainly allow us to continue to diversify employment opportunities in the community,” he said. “One thing that has been missing in Aiken County is the innovation piece. We’re trying