SCBIZ Daily Staff

COLUMBIA -- Midlands Technical College is holding a grand opening for its new Business Accelerator on Dec. 2.

The 25,000-square-foot Business Accelerator is designed to accommodate emerging businesses, industries or technologies that have left the research and development stage and are ready for startup production.

Located on Midlands Technical College’s Enterprise Campus, the MTC Business Accelerator provides four 4,000-square-foot bays, each with a private entrance and office area, and a flexible design that allows adaptation to tenants’ needs.

Companies initially housed in the Business Accelerator will find permanent locations elsewhere on the Enterprise Campus at Midlands Tech. The Enterprise Campus consists of 150 acres and provides an environment for companies to accelerate their development in partnership with the college.

In September 2008, the college announced that Trulite Inc., a fuel cell manufacturing company, would be the first tenant in the Business Accelerator. The Business Accelerator is serving as Trulite’s North American manufacturing site for its Hydrocell fuel cartridges. Trulite is the only fuel cell company to offer both fuel cell and fuel source in one integrated system, and the Hydrocell stores more than 400 watt-hours of energy in one cartridge that is used by Trulite’s KH4 250-watt portable generator. Trulite is the first fuel cell manufacturer in South Carolina.

“MTC understands the importance of alternate energy research and production to the economy of our region and to the future of the community,” said Midlands Tech President Marshall “Sonny” White Jr. “Trulite’s presence will be a valuable addition to the college’s Enterprise Campus.”