Why Greenville Is the Perfect Nest for Startups — Just Ask Ducklinks
- Ducklinks
- Mar 19
- 3 min read
Updated: May 20
via Greenville City Economic Development Corporation – This is why innovative tech startups take off in Greenville, South Carolina: Here, you get big-city opportunities without the big-city headaches.
Entrepreneurial resources and talent are helping startups like @ducklinksgvl make a splash. Co-Founder & CEO Allison Rogers tapped into events like the NextGEN Summit and connected with industry leaders like John Barnett to build a game-changing platform that’s transforming how families plan their time together.
Greenville don’t just give entrepreneurs encouragement, we give them tools, connections and community that help turn bold ideas into reality.
Video Transcript:
"Greenville is a fantastic place for a startup, specifically in the tech space. It has the big city feel, without the big city headaches.
My name is Allison Rogers and I'm the CEO & Co-Founder of Ducklinks.
Ducklinks does the perfect match for you. So, it scours the web. It finds all of the events and activities that you could do and makes recommendations based on the specific needs and interests of your family.
We went to the NextGen Summit, which is the Startup Greenville eco-system kind of hub that manages all of those pieces. We just met with other founders, met with developers and just kind of learned more about that space. I've had a lot of coffee meetings, happy hours with folks just picking their brain. And so the really informal mentorship has been excellent in Greenville. Specifically John Barnett – he's our advisor and I met him just at a Founders Forum. And he's like 'what are you working on?'.
I can't imagine that New York City folks are as willing to sit down and just give you free time and resources. It's amazing who is here in Greenville. I mean you know you hear you have to go to at least Atlanta if you're in the Southeast or New York or Austin. You don't. Greenville is a great space to have a startup."
When it comes to building a startup, location matters. And for Ducklinks Co-Founder & CEO Allison Rogers, Greenville, SC has proven to be the perfect launchpad.
“Greenville is a fantastic place for a startup, especially in the tech space,” says Allison. “It has the big city feel—without the big city headaches.”
Ducklinks, the Greenville-based tech startup, uses smart matching technology to help busy families discover local kids' activities that fit their unique interests, needs, and schedules. Instead of endlessly searching, parents get personalized recommendations—all with a click.
From coffee meetups to happy hour brainstorms, Greenville’s startup scene has been instrumental in Ducklinks’ growth. “I’ve had so many informal mentorship moments just by showing up,” Allison shares. “People here are so generous with their time and knowledge.”
One of those generous moments came during a Founders Forum where she met John Barnett, now an advisor to Ducklinks. “He just asked, ‘What are you working on?’ and that conversation changed everything.”
Allison points out that while many believe they need to move to bigger cities like Atlanta, Austin, or New York to make it in tech, her experience proves otherwise. “You don’t. Greenville is a great space to have a startup.”
Ducklinks is proud to be growing roots right here in the Upstate—because building something meaningful starts with community.
Ready to see what we’re building?
Join the flock and discover how Ducklinks is making family life easier, one adventure at a time.
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