Rural Innovation Network
Inclusive Ecosystems from the Start
Changing the culture and outcomes of tech and entrepreneurship at the scale needed for social justice will require a comprehensive effort that spans governments, businesses, philanthropists, investors, nonprofits, and community leaders.
Read MoreThe Rural Edge: Durango, Colorado
SCAPE is place-based, focused both on incubating growth startups and helping the local economy—and to date, it’s succeeded on both fronts. In just seven years, SCAPE has helped rural companies raise over $24 million and create 152 jobs at above average wages.
Read MoreThe Rural Edge—The Cubby, Waterville, Maine
In addition to the direct support these organizations provided, Josh says that through these experiences, he “got to see the powerful ecosystem growing here in Maine first-hand”—and it’s that same ecosystem he credits as a major advantage for starting The Cubby in a small town like Waterville.
Read MoreThe Rural Edge: Wilson, North Carolina
At CORI, we have a saying: once you’ve seen one rural community, you’ve seen one rural community. America’s small towns are diverse and dynamic, and through our work with our Rural Innovation Network, we have the privilege of working in depth with 18 communities building digital economy ecosystems. To highlight these incredible places, Siegel Family…
Read MoreA Rural Community Of Practice
At the Center On Rural Innovation, we’re committed to connecting rural leaders with the tools, resources, and knowledge needed to fully tap into their town’s potential. One powerful way we do this is through our Rural Innovation Network (RIN)—a growing consortium of rural change agents building digital economy ecosystems in the places they call home.
Read MoreThe Future Is Digital
Earlier this year, we at the Center On Rural Innovation (CORI) partnered with Udacity to launch the Future Is Digital Challenge, an initiative focused on training rural Americans interested in developing new skills to help them participate in the nation’s growing digital economy.
Read MoreThe Rural Edge: Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Innovation and tech entrepreneurship can happen anywhere—and Cape Girardeau is proof that rural places are part of that equation.
Read MoreThe Rural Edge: AI on the banks of the Mississippi River
At CORI, we are interested in broadening the conversation about rural America and sharing stories from local change agents and entrepreneurs who are moving the needle and driving innovation in the small towns and communities they call home. Our Rural Edge series features conversations from the people who are changing the narrative about what it means to be from rural America.
Read MoreRural Innovation in Quarantine: The Power of Virtual Events
Rural places are normally places of deep social connection, with strong communities and a powerful sense of caring for our neighbors. The COVID-related quarantine, by forcing people to stay home apart from friends and community members, has tugged at those bonds. But many rural leaders, determined to keep their communities connected and get through this crisis together, have discovered the power of virtual events.
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