Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership

What Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership does

Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership (SHIP) is a public-private nonprofit organization based in Savannah, Georgia, founded in March 2025 as a joint venture between Georgia Southern University's Business Innovation Group and the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA). The organization operates as an innovation ecosystem catalyst for the greater Savannah Harbor region, building on the foundation of the prior Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SLIC) and expanding its mandate beyond logistics into supply chain, clean tech, defense, advanced manufacturing, hospitality, tourism, and agritech. SHIP's core product is a tiered membership program (Junior $10K through Elite $250K+) that provides corporate partners governance access, board seats, task force chair roles, early technology visibility, and investment pathways; complementary programs include SHIP SCALE Week, the WAVES Club for women entrepreneurs, the Founders Deck for startups, the Corporate Innovation Lab, the Savannah 2050 conference, and the Savannah's Innovation Fund donation program. Revenue is generated through membership subscriptions, charitable donations, and ticketed events, while partnerships with VentureSouth, 912 Angels, Gener8tor, ATDC, Y Center, and the Georgia Center of Innovation provide capital, accelerator, and convening infrastructure for the regional ecosystem. SHIP does not develop proprietary technology, APIs, or software products; its competitive position rests on network effects, institutional credibility, and Savannah's distribution advantages as a major U.S. logistics port.

Name

Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership

Legal name

Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership

Website

https://shipyd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership (SHIP) is a public-private nonprofit, founded March 2025 in Savannah, Georgia, that operates a tiered membership ecosystem ($10K–$250K+) plus events, accelerators, and a donation fund to connect corporate partners, startups, universities, government, and investors around logistics, supply chain, and emerging-technology innovation in the Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Savannah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: SHIP generates primary revenue through tiered annual membership programs with six levels: Junior ($10,000+), Bronze ($25,000), Silver ($50,000), Gold ($100,000), Platinum ($150,000), and Elite ($250,000+). Memberships provide governance access, event visibility, and partnership benefits. Memberships do not auto-renew, requiring conscious annual renewal decisions.
2. Innovation Fund Donations: SHIP solicits charitable donations to its Savannah Innovation Fund through GivingTuesday campaigns and direct outreach. Donations are processed via Stripe or by check. Funds support pilot projects, startup visibility, and conference expansion.
3. Event Revenue: SHIP generates revenue through ticketed events such as the Electrification Lunch and Learn executive sessions. Events feature live demonstrations, executive sessions, and partnership opportunities with companies like Orange EV.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership (SHIP) is a public-private nonprofit innovation ecosystem catalyst that convenes corporate partners, startups, universities, government, and investors in the Savannah Harbor region. It sells tiered annual memberships ($10,000 to $250,000+) that provide governance access, task force leadership, early technology visibility, and event sponsorship; it runs signature programs including SHIP SCALE Week, the WAVES Club, Savannah 2050 conference, Founders Deck startup program, Corporate Innovation Lab sprints, and the Savannah's Innovation Fund donation program.

Product overview

Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership (SHIP) is a public-private nonprofit innovation ecosystem organization that offers a portfolio of interconnected programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include tiered Membership Programs (Bronze through Elite) providing governance access and strategic benefits; SHIP SCALE Week featuring electrification events and the Georgia Logistics Summit; The WAVES Club supporting women entrepreneurs; Savannah 2050 innovation conference; Founders Deck startup support; Corporate Innovation Lab immersive sprints; and Savannah's Innovation Fund for donations. These programs work together to unite corporate partners, entrepreneurs, government, academia, and investors around logistics, supply chain, hospitality, tourism, and agritech innovation in the Savannah region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SHIP Membership Program Tiered membership program offering Junior ($10K+), Bronze ($25K), Silver ($50K), Gold ($100K), Platinum ($150K), and Elite ($250K+) levels, providing governance access, task force leadership roles, early technology access, investment opportunities, and national visibility through SHIP initiatives for corporate partners and organizations.
• SHIP SCALE Week Annual innovation week featuring electrification lunch-and-learn events, SCALE program innovation retreats, evening networking, and the Georgia Logistics Summit, designed to accelerate growth across logistics, supply chain, and emerging technologies.
• The WAVES Club Women-focused entrepreneurship and leadership program supporting female-owned businesses through monthly networking events alternating between coffee hours and happy hours, fostering Vision, Entrepreneurship, and Strategy development in Savannah's innovation community.
• Savannah 2050 Regional innovation conference bringing together visionary leaders from across Georgia to shape a future-focused economy through bold ideas and cross-industry collaboration.
• Founders Deck Startup support program providing access to SHIP conferences, Gener8tor network connections, pitch competition opportunities, educational programming, and networking events throughout the year with no financial buy-in requirement for early-stage founders.
• Corporate Innovation Lab Two-day immersive innovation sprint program partnering students, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners to develop tech-enabled solutions using human-centered design and agile prototyping methodologies.
• Savannah's Innovation Fund Donation program funding pilot projects for startups in cleantech, eco-innovation, logistics, and next-generation technology, with contributions supporting partnerships, conferences, and entrepreneur pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 early-stage startups gained national visibility through SHIP support in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Georgia Center of InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Georgia's statewide resource for logistics and supply chain innovation. Co-hosts Georgia Logistics Summit (April 17, 2026) and evening networking events with SHIP. The Summit has grown to become one of the Southeast's most important logistics and supply chain focused events.
• Orange EVminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026Leading U.S. manufacturer of purpose-built zero-emission terminal trucks. Partnered with SHIP on Electrification Lunch and Learn (April 15, 2026), an exclusive executive session featuring live electric yard truck demonstration and fleet electrification strategy deep dive. Wade Overstreet (Sales Team Manager - East) serves as featured speaker.
• Y CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025Global innovation firm empowering next-generation changemakers through experiential programs. Collaborating with SHIP on Corporate Innovation Lab (May 21-22, 2025), a two-day immersive event where students and entrepreneurs solve real-world corporate challenges using human-centered design, agile prototyping, and business model innovation.
• Georgia Southern University Business Innovation Group (BIG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025BIG co-hosts the Corporate Innovation Lab with SHIP and Y Center, supporting student engagement and entrepreneurial development in Southeast Georgia through hands-on education, mentoring, and access to vital resources.
• Georgia Southern University - Business Innovation Group (BIG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Founding joint venture partner. GSU and BIG are central to SHIP's foundation and continued growth, with mission alignment around expanding applied research, strengthening workforce, and nurturing entrepreneurial leaders. Dominique Halaby (GSU VP of Innovation) serves on SHIP's Board of Directors, bridging academic insight with industry opportunity.
• Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025SEDA is a founding partner focused on business attraction, investment, and economic mobility. Caleb Kitchings (on behalf of Tripp Tollison) provides leadership ensuring innovation, industry, and strategic development move forward together. SEDA's focus aligns with SHIP's vision for Savannah 2050.
• Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Georgia's statewide startup incubator strengthens SHIP's work by fostering entrepreneurial talent and connecting emerging founders to mentorship, capital pathways, and technical expertise. ATDC's ongoing support enhances Savannah's growing innovation and technology community.
• Gener8torcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025National accelerator network providing SHIP members access to a community of peers and mentors focused on early-stage growth, technical guidance, and business development. Members receive automatic inclusion in Gener8tor network through SHIP's formal partnership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC): Georgia's statewide startup incubator, also a SHIP partner. Highly comparable as a regional innovation ecosystem builder connecting founders, capital, and corporate partners across the same state, with a longer operating track record.
• MassChallenge: Global nonprofit innovation ecosystem that convenes startups, corporates, and government around industry-specific programs. Comparable as a membership- and partner-driven innovation accelerator with a community-led GTM motion similar to SHIP's.
• 1871: Chicago-based nonprofit innovation hub operating a membership model serving corporate partners, startups, and university partners. Closely mirrors SHIP's community-led, multi-stakeholder nonprofit innovation catalyst model.
• gener8tor: National accelerator network that is itself a SHIP partner, providing founders with mentors and capital pathways. Comparable as a multi-region accelerator with tiered corporate partnership programs.
• VentureSouth: Early-stage venture firm with angel investor network and 912 Angels affiliation, also a SHIP partner. Comparable as a regional angel/seed ecosystem player that combines investment education with deal flow facilitation.
• Innovation Works: Pittsburgh-based nonprofit seed-stage investor and innovation ecosystem builder. Comparable as a regional nonprofit combining startup funding, corporate partnerships, and ecosystem convening in a port-adjacent manufacturing city.

Regional players

• Switchyards: Atlanta-based innovation hub and consumer startup accelerator. Comparable as a Southeast-based nonprofit ecosystem builder, though operating in a different metro and slightly different vertical focus.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network with corporate partnership programs and founder support services. Comparable as a multi-region innovation platform that SHIP's Gener8tor partnership effectively plugs into.
• Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC): Large-scale innovation campus operator running member-based ecosystems for startups and corporates across multiple cities. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder innovation hub operator, though significantly larger and for-profit.

Emerging players

• PortTechLA: Port-focused startup accelerator in Los Angeles specifically targeting logistics, supply chain, and maritime innovation. Comparable as a port-adjacent innovation ecosystem focused on similar verticals to SHIP's core mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ShipYdSav
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shipyd
• Instagraminstagram.com/shipydsav

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Savannah Harbor Innovation Partnership