Upstate Nonprofit Assisting Biotech Start-Ups

By Mike Switzer

Published October 28, 2016 at 5:12 AM EDT

If you are a regular listener to this program, you’ve been hearing the Swampfox, John Warner, mention the upcoming SCBIO conference, but you may not know that that acronym actually stands for the South Carolina Biotechnology Industry Organization. And their goal is to support the advancement of scientific research in our state including helping entrepreneurs launch new companies specializing in medical devices, medicines, diagnostics, health IT, and other biomedical areas.

Mike Switzer interviews Wayne Roper, president of SCBIO, based in Greenville, SC.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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