Three Rural Missouri Communities Selected to Accelerate Their Tech Economies

The Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) is excited to announce the three newest communities chosen to participate in the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative, a 12-month program funded by Upward Momentum and building on last year’s investment by the Patterson Family Foundation, designed to help rural communities in Kansas and Missouri accelerate their tech and innovation economies.

Following a highly competitive selection process, we’re proud to welcome the following communities, whose vision, momentum, and leadership stood out:

• Fulton, MO (Callaway County)
• Maryville, MO (Nodaway County)
• Rolla, MO (Phelps County)

Each is represented by a team of local leaders dedicated to expanding opportunity and building a future where innovation thrives in their region.

Through this initiative, these communities will receive a customized tech-economy assessment and strategy, hands-on implementation and funding-readiness support, opportunities to learn from peers across the Heartland, and a chance to come together at a regional innovators summit.

The depth and imagination represented in this applicant pool underscore what we see time and again in rural communities: bold ideas, deep commitment, and the drive to turn possibility into progress. CORI is proud to work alongside these exceptional rural communities as they build on their momentum, open new doors for growth, and help reshape the story of what rural places can achieve.

More about each selected community is below.

Callaway County, MO

Callaway County enters the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative at a pivotal moment, with growing interest, strong civic leadership, and a deep desire to shape growth on its own terms. Anchored by the City of Fulton, the county’s economy has long been rooted in higher education, government, energy, manufacturing, and agriculture. Today, those foundations are being strengthened by major employers and institutions including Hitachi Energy, nVent, Doolittle Trailer Manufacturing, Danhuser, HarbisonWalker International, Ameren’s nuclear power plant, William Woods University, and Westminster College.

At the same time, local leaders are focused on the challenges that will shape the county’s future: low wages, youth outmigration, housing shortages, and a limited workforce pool, and finding a path forward for their community that allows them to flourish without becoming just like neighboring large cities.

That intention is already visible across the community. Untethered Fulton, the Chamber of Commerce, the Missouri SBDC, the Brick District Association, local investors, higher education partners, and business leaders are working to strengthen entrepreneurship, downtown revitalization, and workforce development. Recent investments, including the Heart of the Brick District Lofts and Untethered coworking space, represent more than $1.5 million in commitment to Fulton’s future. A recent downtown strategic planning process has also brought together business owners, city and county officials, and community stakeholders to identify shared priorities and begin turning momentum into action.

Callaway County also brings a powerful sense of place. Known as the “Kingdom of Callaway,” the county is home to more than two centuries of history, the National Churchill Museum at Westminster College, significant Civil War sites, a renovated historical museum, one of the largest classic car museums in the central United States, and the Missouri School for the Deaf Museum. These assets create unique opportunities to connect tourism, education, placemaking, entrepreneurship, and community identity into a broader economic development strategy.

Through the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative, the county aims to build the shared direction and implementation framework needed to guide intentional growth. With a strong leadership network, active downtown investment, higher education assets, and a community committed to preserving its history and small-town character, Callaway County is well-positioned to turn today’s momentum into long-term, innovation-led opportunity.

Nodaway County, MO

Nodaway County enters the program with a strong foundation in manufacturing, agriculture, higher education, and public-sector employment, along with a growing commitment to entrepreneurship and innovation. Anchored by Maryville and Northwest Missouri State University, the county has built a diverse economic base that includes major employers such as Kawasaki, Nucor, DRiV, Laclede Chain, Mosaic, and the Missouri Department of Corrections Treatment Facility.

Like many rural communities, Nodaway County is working to address challenges that shape long-term economic opportunity, including low wages, youth outmigration, and housing shortages. But the county is also bringing together the partners, programs, and local leadership needed to build new pathways for talent retention, business growth, and economic diversification.

That momentum is already visible across the community. Nodaway County Economic Development, the Missouri SBDC, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville Public Library, the Maryville Chamber of Commerce, Maryville Public Schools, the Maryville Downtown Association, and Northwest Enterprise Facilitation are collaborating to support entrepreneurs, small businesses, students, and workers. Local workforce efforts, including manufacturing day programming, apprenticeships, industry certifications, and employer advisory partnerships with Northwest Technical School, are helping connect residents to career opportunities close to home.

Nodaway County’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is also gaining energy through programs like BOSS Coffee, a monthly training and networking series that brings together entrepreneurs and community partners around practical business topics. Sessions have covered artificial intelligence, social media marketing, website development, team building, and small business growth strategies, giving local entrepreneurs access to tools, peer support, and emerging technology.

Through the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative, Nodaway County aims to better understand its innovation ecosystem, identify gaps and opportunities, and build a coordinated strategy for long-term growth. With strong institutional leadership, reliable broadband, an active university partner, and a culture of local investment, Nodaway County is well-positioned to strengthen its entrepreneurial momentum and create new opportunities for rural innovation.

Phelps County, MO

Phelps County enters the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative with a powerful mix of research capacity, advanced manufacturing strength, natural assets, and community momentum. Anchored by the City of Rolla, the county is home to a strong postsecondary education system that includes Missouri University of Science and Technology, an R1 research university; East Central College-Rolla; and Rolla Technical Institute and Center. Together, these institutions create a strong foundation for workforce development, commercialization, and tech-based economic growth.
The county is also part of the Economic Development Administration-designated Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy Tech Hub, positioning the region as part of a national effort to advance critical minerals mining, processing, and research. That designation builds on Phelps County’s existing strengths in science, engineering, manufacturing, and advanced materials, while opening new opportunities for innovation-led growth across southeast Missouri.

That momentum is already visible in the companies and institutions shaping the region’s economy. Phelps County is home to innovative companies like MO-SCI, a specialty glass manufacturer serving Fortune 500 companies and advancing healthcare applications, and Brewer Science, which is expanding its technology and manufacturing footprint through a new high-volume, geothermal-powered semiconductor manufacturing facility at the Rolla Airport Industrial Park. Missouri S&T has also helped launch technology startups in agriculture, bioscience, and cleantech, demonstrating the region’s potential to turn research and technical expertise into new companies and jobs.
Beyond its technology assets, Phelps County offers a strong quality of life rooted in arts, culture, outdoor recreation, and place-based identity. The City of St. James is known for its award-winning wineries and access to outdoor recreation, while the broader county offers community assets that help attract and retain talent.

Through the Heartland Rural Innovators Initiative, Phelps County aims to build on its strong foundation and better understand the gaps and opportunities within its entrepreneurial ecosystem. While robust entrepreneurship programming already exists through Missouri S&T, local leaders see an opportunity to expand the physical and programmatic infrastructure needed for startup incubation, commercialization, and business growth. With a strong research university, innovative employers, regional tech hub designation, and a commitment to growing high-tech and manufacturing jobs, Phelps County is well-positioned to build a more connected innovation ecosystem that benefits residents, businesses, and communities across the region.