Talk to virtually anyone involved in Greenville’s emerging innovation and entrepreneurship scene and one name repeatedly crops up: Alex Estevez.
Ask a little further, and it becomes easy to understand why.
Not only is Estevez a respected venture partner with Accel Partners, a heavyweight among venture capital firms with prior investments in companies like Facebook, Slack and Atlassian, but he serves as a board member of Venture Atlanta where he helps guide one of the top venture tech conferences in the country.
But what makes Estevez such a crucial actor in Greenville’s burgeoning startup sector is his willingness to share that expertise and his extensive contacts throughout the venture capital firmament.
Instead of talking about himself, Estevez would much rather talk about the exciting people and startups generating such a buzz within Greenville’s entrepreneurial community. He acknowledges that after years of success and in recognition of the many influential entrepreneurs he met along the way, it was time to give back.
That commitment crystalized about the time he moved to the Upstate from Silicon Valley in order to be closer to family in 2014.
“Over the course of my career, I have had the privilege of being around some pretty remarkable entrepreneurs, and I have seen how entrepreneurship can change the lives of individuals, families and communities for the better,” Estevez says. “I’ve also seen how one person can make a difference for good.”
His ability to make a difference becomes evident when speaking to people who’ve worked with him in recent years.
Eric Weissman, executive director of Greenville startup hub NEXT, says Estevez brings to the Upstate a demonstrated pathway to success that others are eager to emulate.
“A lot of people see that success and have said to themselves, ‘I want to be on that train,’” Weissman says.
Andrew Dorman, general partner with Knoll Venture Partners in Atlanta, says he had similar thoughts when he first met Estevez about five years ago when he and Estevez joined the Venture Atlanta board. He quickly began to think of Estevez as a mentor and as someone whose willingness to share his knowledge enriches every endeavor and organization he becomes involved in.
“Alex is sort of like the Pied Piper,” Dorman says. “He’s been able to share the story (of what’s going on in the Southeast) with people outside the region.”
This has been a significant boost to Greenville’s entrepreneurs and innovators, says Greenville City Manager John McDonough. He adds that a great deal of the energy and excitement among the startup community is thanks to the encouragement and connections fostered behind the scenes by people like Estevez.
“Alex is a big thinker and he comes up with some great ideas,” McDonough says.
That creativity and generosity is something ScopeStack CEO Jon Scott experienced firsthand.
When the Greenville startup founder was looking for guidance, Scott says Estevez provided a willing ear and invaluable advice.
“When I thought about talking to Alex, it was a bit intimidating at first because of his reputation,” Scott says.
But Estevez put him at ease and readily shared insights from his deep experience guiding companies through explosive growth.
“Getting that perspective is so valuable,” Scott says.
But because Estevez has been so effective at spreading the news about what’s happening in Greenville and the wider region beyond, Dorman says Greenville is no longer one of the “best-kept secrets” of the American economy.
That means both talent and capital are now looking to call the area home, and McDonough says that ultimately means more jobs for area residents.
And more talent moving to the area increases the likelihood for more innovation. It’s a virtuous cycle.
Scott calls it a system of building “relational capital” and credits people like Estevez for helping such a system to grow.
Estevez says helping the area’s entrepreneurs has been personally rewarding.
“In doing so, I found much more contentment and fulfillment than expected, and I’m hopeful that this investment of time and focus with entrepreneurs will continue to bear from for our community in the coming years,” he says.
