INNOVATION FOR EVERYONE
2-day Social and Business Innovation workshop for Economic Mobility
Ycenter’s award winning human-centered design innovation framework in collaboration with The Center for Innovative Leadership presents a dynamic two-day workshop on Oct 08-09, 2025.
Designed for students, entrepreneurs, corporate partners and community leaders across the Greenville region, this immersive experience focuses on hands-on innovation and real-world problem solving. Participants will work individually or in teams to develop tech-enabled solutions that enhances economic resilience for the community.
Guided by expert facilitators, this workshop emphasizes collaboration, creativity and execution. At the end of day two, participants will present their ideas. The most innovative solutions and compelling pitches will be recognized. All learning materials will be provided, and no prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to engage and think big.
SCHEDULE
DAY 1
9.00 AM Registration, introduction to the program
9.30 AM Complex problem breakdown using human-centered design
11.30 AM Building a problem statement and design brief
12.00 - 1.00 PM Lunch
1.00 PM Empathy building activity
2.00 PM Researching your problem
3.00 PM Design your brief and getting feedback
4.00 PM Reflections and open agenda
Oct 08, 2025 , 9 - 4 pm
DAY 2
9.00 AM Day 2 registration
9.30 AM Creativity and innovation blocks for your ideas
10.30 AM Research and refining your Idea
12.00 - 1.00 PM Lunch
1.00 PM Using AI to build prototype/Lean Business Canvas (you pick)
2.00 PM Working in teams to build your final presentation
3.30 PM Final pitches and feedback
5.30 PM Certificates and networking
Oct 09, 2025 , 9 - 5 pm
📍 Location
Innovation Lab, Crescent One
25 Goldsmith Street
Greenville, South Carolina
TOP SKILLS YOU WILL ACQUIRE
All participants will receive a verified LinkedIn certificate
Upon completing our program, Ycenter will provide participants with a verified certificate that can be showcased as a LinkedIn badge, highlighting your achievement and new skills.
This badge not only enhances your professional profile but also signals to potential employers that you've gained valuable, hands-on experience in innovation, sustainability, design thinking and entrepreneurship. We will also showcase your project on our newly launched global repository of SDGs projects for additional growth and networking opportunities.
Register
From climate action to healthcare, from education to economic mobility, let’s build solutions that impact your community, city and potentially scaleable to beyond borders.
Meet the Program Partners and Experts
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Dhairya Pujara
FOUNDER, CEO, Ycenter
Dhairya Pujara is the Founder, CEO at Ycenter, where he has built programs for Sustainability, Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the last 12 years. At Ycenter, he has built award winning Entrepreneurship and Innovation programs for universities and organizations in 30+ countries across 4 continents. His work has been featured in Philadelphia Business Journal, BBC Radio, Entrepreneur magazine, Times Media group and more. He has been a global public speaker with invitations from the United Nations, World Bank, World Economic Forum, Social Enterprise World Forum, SXSW, TEDx and top universities and Fortune 500 companies. He has worked as Policy Innovator and Advisor for multiple governmental agencies and think tanks around the world. He is a serial entrepreneur, working directly to support job creation, technology innovation ventures and for this work he has received a visa reserved for individuals of extraordinary abilities from the US immigration services.
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Garrett Stern
Executive Director, Leadership & Professional Education
Garrett is a mission-driven higher education innovator with experience developing ground-breaking professional programs, building strategic community relationships, and managing multi-stakeholder initiatives. At the University of Richmond, he led innovation efforts to increase access, affordability, and job-ready relevance for professional programs. He is committed to the development of life-changing education that is relevant to all stages of career growth. Garrett has presented at national conferences and consulted with institutions of higher education regarding the increasing importance in the upskilling and reskilling of the workforce as society navigates the serious economic disruptions of the fourth industrial revolution.
In previous lives, Garrett has been a farmer, filmmaker, and community leader for issues related to food systems and sustainability.
Key Partners
The Center for Innovative Leadership is Furman’s hub for serving the educational needs of professionals and organizations. Combining Furman’s world-class academic expertise with leading business experts and coaches, the Center is dedicated to developing strategic leaders, creative problem-solvers and agile innovators who can navigate the complex challenges of today’s world.
The Hill Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship empowers aspiring leaders through award winning programming, ideation workshops, pitch competitions, and thought leadership forums. We help you launch.
Ycenter is a USA based global innovation consulting organization. Ycenter has developed and
implemented programs for universities, governments, Fortune 500 companies and enabled launch and
growth of new ventures using a Human-centered design framework for innovation. It has received awards and recognitions ranging from United Nations to Inc magazine and has created impactful projects in 30 countries across 4 continents.
The Riley Institute empowers emerging and established leaders—across sectors and throughout society—with the knowledge and tools to advance equity and drive social and economic progress in South Carolina and beyond. We work to strengthen public education; promote the power of diversity to help teams, organizations, and communities thrive; and elevate informed, evidence-based approaches to critical public issues.
This program is delivered under the umbrella of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - UN SDGS
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
