ICAN Innovation Center Opens Its Doors, Ushering in a New Era for STEAM in South Carolina
- CUBNSC
- Sep 10
- 3 min read
By Javar Juarez | CUBNSC | Columbia, SC — September 10, 2025
This afternoon, leaders from across South Carolina gathered in Columbia’s Broad River District to celebrate the long-awaited ribbon cutting of the ICAN Innovation Center—a 25,000-square-foot hub designed to transform education, technology, and community development.
The ceremony drew a powerful cross-section of the community: educators, legislators, Scout Motors executives, leaders from MUSC Health, and civic organizations, all standing shoulder-to-shoulder in support of the Center’s mission.
City of Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann delivered a passionate message about the Center’s impact:
“This is unbelievable. This is the future, and this is what we need to be doing—getting our young people ready for their next career. ICAN is a gap-filler that puts us on a whole new level. From light manufacturing to medical research, from pharmaceutical to animation, businesses and universities alike will benefit. This is exactly how we grow our workforce and recruit industry at every level.”
The Need for STEAM in South Carolina
South Carolina’s future depends on preparing the next generation for industries driving economic growth—advanced manufacturing, engineering, information technology, and beyond. The ICAN Innovation Center answers this call by focusing on STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), a framework that blends technical knowledge with creativity and problem-solving.
The stakes are high. South Carolina ranks among the lowest in national science proficiency, and many underrepresented and rural students lack access to meaningful STEAM pathways. ICAN addresses these disparities head-on, offering opportunities that foster curiosity, resilience, and critical thinking—skills essential not only to careers but to lifelong civic leadership.
The Vision of Bishop Eric Warren Davis
At the heart of ICAN is the vision of Bishop Eric Warren Davis, a faith leader, businessman, engineer, and creative pioneer. His decades of service—from engineering at Westinghouse to leading the National Society of Black Engineers Alumni Chapter, to founding Irly Bird Kids and Compass Animation Studios—all converge in this new venture.
Davis’ belief in “edutainment”—using storytelling, performance, and technology to educate—has already reached thousands of students across Richland County. Today, his vision takes physical form as ICAN opens its doors, blending creativity and technology into a model that ensures no student is left behind.
Inside the ICAN Innovation Center
Located at 131 Diamond Lane, the facility offers:
A Virtual Reality Theatre for immersive learning and competitions
A 150-seat Presentation Theatre for film premieres and community events
Robotics, CAD, and 3D printing labs to support hands-on engineering
Specialized labs in energy, health, and environmental sciences
Collaborative design and maker spaces, including the EverBlock Lounge
Mayor Rickenmann described the possibilities firsthand:
“I put on a headset, and I could hold a heart, turn it around, see the veins, arteries—everything. Imagine what this means for medical training, for young people exploring careers, for adults reinventing themselves. Nobody else in our community has 400 VR headsets that can train people at once. That’s the power of ICAN.”
Building Together: Youth as Co-Creators
One of ICAN’s most inspiring elements is its commitment to youth leadership. Over the summer, students from Young Men United (YMU) participated in the Center’s development—learning executive decision-making, financial literacy, and project management while leaving their mark on the facility.
“These students didn’t just watch history unfold,” Bishop Davis noted. “They helped build it.”
The ICAN Innovation Center is more than a building—it is a movement. With partners across education, business, and government, and with youth at the forefront, ICAN promises to expand opportunity, close equity gaps, and ensure that Columbia remains a hub for innovation and community growth.
As Mayor Rickenmann affirmed, ICAN is not just a ribbon-cutting—it’s the city’s “gap filler” that connects education to industry, creativity to opportunity, and community to the future .
With today’s opening, ICAN begins the work of shaping South Carolina’s future—one student, one idea, one innovation at a time.
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