Lancaster-based AI-native college and career readiness platform joins SCRA’s portfolio of South Carolina technology innovators
LANCASTER, S.C., May 12, 2026. Pathly, the AI-native college and career readiness platform, today announced it has received a $25,000 Startup Grant from the South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA). The grant supports Pathly’s continued growth as it scales personalized guidance for students and modern tools for the school counselors who support them.
Pathly was named in SCRA’s May 12 cohort announcement alongside fellow grant recipients Tada AI, CAMA Security, and Vet Media Group. “We welcome these new member companies and congratulate those that received funding,” said SCRA President and CEO Bill Kirkland.
The Lancaster-based company has built an AI-powered platform that helps high school students explore career paths, discover post-graduation options, and build personalized roadmaps for their future. Pathly combines psychometric assessments, real-time AI guidance, and actionable planning tools to help students make informed decisions about college, trades, certifications, and careers. For school counselors, Pathly turns student activity into counselor-ready intelligence so counselors walk into every meeting prepared, not catching up.
The national counselor-to-student ratio sits at 372 to 1, well above the 250 to 1 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association. Pathly was built to close that gap.
“SCRA’s support validates the work we’re doing and accelerates our path to market,” said Alan Brusky, Co-Founder and CEO of Pathly. “South Carolina is building one of the strongest innovation ecosystems in the country for early-stage technology companies, and we’re proud to build Pathly from here.”
All SCRA member companies receive coaching and access to SCRA’s member benefits and startup resources, can apply for additional grant funding, and have the potential to be considered for investment from SCRA’s investment affiliate, SC Launch Inc.
Grant funding is made possible, in part, by SCRA’s tax credit program, the Industry Partnership Fund (IPF), and its contributions that fuel the state’s innovation economy.
About Pathly Pathly is the AI-native college and career readiness platform built to help every student discover who they are, explore what’s possible, and take clear next steps toward their future. Free for students, Pathly combines psychometric assessments, personalized recommendations, AI-powered guidance, and living roadmaps into one connected experience. Its data foundation spans nearly 100,000 college and training programs across roughly 4,800 schools and 923 career paths. For counselors and schools, Pathly turns student activity into counselor-ready intelligence so counselors walk into every meeting prepared, not catching up. Built on multi-model AI with a compliance-first architecture, Pathly keeps students at the center and counselors in the lead. Headquartered in Lancaster, South Carolina. Learn more at pathly.com.
About SCRA Chartered in 1983 by the State of South Carolina as a public, nonprofit corporation, South Carolina Research Authority fuels the state’s innovation economy through the impact of its comprehensive services to technology-based startups, academia, and industry. SCRA provides funding and support to accelerate the growth of academic startups; high-quality lab and administrative workspaces; facilitation and funding for partnerships between and among industry, startups, and academic institutions; assistance and funding for the relocation of technology-based companies to South Carolina; and coaching and funding for startups that may also receive investments from its affiliate, SC Launch Inc.
