De-Risking Rural Innovation: A Smarter Way to Invest in What’s Next

By Melissa Kjolsing, Managing Director, AscendRural

Key insights

  1. Community validation starts with co-design. We build with rural leaders, not for them.

  2. Credible data offers important proof points. Every pilot delivers actionable insights and validated social + financial ROI, produced with Northwestern University.

  3. Local rural innovation can scale nationally. By partnering with rural peers, public agencies, and national funders, we turn local wins into cross-regional momentum.

Rural America has long been overlooked by traditional innovation pipelines. But if you're serious about resilience, equity, and impact, it's time to pay attention. 

1 in 5 Americans lives in a rural community—yet less than 7% of philanthropic dollars and even less venture capital make it their way. That isn’t due to a lack of opportunity. It’s a result of proximity gaps, missing proof points, and too few platforms to translate innovation into rural readiness. 

At AscendRural, we’re changing that. 

We’re a technology innovation and implementation hub based in central Minnesota. Our work is grounded in rural leadership and national collaboration. Through targeted pilots, we help innovators test, validate, and scale technology solutions that improve rural well-being—and prove what’s possible across the country. 

Why rural? Why now?

Rural communities power food systems, energy grids, and supply chains that cities depend on. Yet they’re often the last to benefit from the innovations they help sustain. 

This isn’t about charity. Investing in rural innovation is smart economics. Unlocking untapped markets, building national resilience, and creating ripple effects that lift communities far beyond where the pilot began. 

Momentum is also building at the federal level. Through programs like the Rural Health Transformation initiative, the U.S. government is directing new streams of funding to modernize care delivery, support rural well-being, and improve outcomes across underserved regions. This signals an opportunity for private investors to align with public priorities and back rural-tested solutions that are ready to scale. 

How AscendRural de-risks early-stage innovation 

We know that investing in rural markets can feel unfamiliar. That’s why AscendRural exists: to make it easier, and smarter, to enter and scale in these spaces. Our model de-risks innovation in three key ways: 

1. Community Validation 

We co-design with rural leaders—not for them—ensuring local relevance and early adoption. Our pilots are grounded in lived experience, not theoretical models. 

2. Credible Data

Each pilot generates actionable insights and social + financial ROI metrics, validated through research in partnership with Northwestern University. These become decision-ready proof points for funders, policymakers, and scale partners. .  

3. Scalable Pathways

We start in select rural communities, but our goal is national. Our model is built to surface scalable insights and forge replication pathways. We partner with peer rural communities, public agencies, and national funders to expand what works—turning successful pilots into cross-regional momentum. 

See what we’re learning

Our current and recent pilots span:

  • First Responder recruitment and retention

  • Rural senior care

  • Internet connectivity

  • Youth mental health and resilience  

Each of these pilots is co-led with rural communities and built for scale. See what we’re learning >

Connect with us!

Innovation should reflect the full diversity of America, including its rural places. At AscendRural, we’re not here to drop in solutions. We’re here to listen, partner, and co-create with the tenacious leaders shaping rural futures. 

If you're an investor, foundation, or corporate partner ready to explore rural-tested innovation with national potential, let’s connect. 

Register for our newsletter below or email me directly to start the conversation.