National nonprofit organization expands its network and continues working to close the rural opportunity gap
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Scalable tech entrepreneurship is, in some ways, the apex of a tech economy ecosystem. Startups are a key source of job creation, and the ones that scale can transform a community and create regenerative wealth.
For a rural place to become an entrepreneurial center, people need to actively believe it’s possible — and that everyone, from all racial, gender, educational, class, and professional backgrounds are truly included in those tech opportunities.
Communities need to be able to connect capable workers with opportunities in the technology industry. This requires them to have a sufficient mix of locally based tech employers and remote work opportunities.
For a tech economy ecosystem to thrive, it needs tech workers. That means having people trained on the technology skills — from cybersecurity to front end development, data science to UI, and many more.
Coworking provides more than just space to work. A successful space can offer resources to the business community, make connections that advance local commerce, and host events that foster a stronger business climate.
Both communities participated in the second cohort of the Rural Innovation Initiative, a technical assistance program empowering rural communities as they execute on innovation hub strategies.
This week, we were thrilled to announce that two communities in the most recent cohort of the Rural Innovation Initiative (RII) were selected for Build to Scale (B2S) Venture Challenge grants through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)