Ernest Andrade is the founder and Executive Director of the Charleston Digital, a successful public-private business development partnership launched in February 2001 to attract, nurture, and promote tech companies in Charleston, South Carolina. Ernest is also President of Andrade Economics, an economic development practice focused on sharing the knowledge that has been learned first hand from developing Charleston’s high-wage economy.

Ernest brings a value and results-oriented mindset to his dual role at the Charleston Digital Corridor Foundation and Andrade Economics. His accomplishments include positioning Charleston as a premier destination for tech companies by growing the Digital Corridor from 18 to 1,600+ tech businesses, developing six business incubators, including the recently developed Charleston Tech Center and developing a host of community programs and services including the Charleston Learning Center.

Andrade is also responsible for growing the city of Charleston from 38 to over 100 square miles, increasing Charleston’s tax base by over $2.5 billion and 30,000 residents and executing a strategic plan to recruit competitive economic development projects with a capital investment of over $500 million.

Ernest was born in Kuwait and lived in India prior to emigrating to the United States in 1981. He became a naturalized citizen in 1996. Ernest holds a BS in Business Administration from the College of Charleston and a Master of Public Administration from the University of South Carolina and the College of Charleston.