Senior Care

Building the future of rural senior care

Rural communities are home to deep connection, resourcefulness, and resilience. Yet, they face growing challenges in supporting older adults — from workforce shortages to social isolation and access to care. 

AscendRural bridges innovators and rural communities to co-create scalable, real-world solutions. Our next Impact Theme focuses on senior care, and we’re inviting technology companies and community partners to join us in exploring new solutions. 

For Startups: Apply to the Senior Care Accelerator

Turn your innovation into real-world impact 

The AscendRural Accelerator is a four-week, cohort-based program designed for technology companies to pilot, validate, and scale solutions in rural settings.

Participants gain: 

  • Mentorship and strategy: Guidance from rural system leaders, investors, and domain experts 

  • Community partnerships: Opportunities to pilot directly with rural communities 

  • Market validation: Insight into what works — and what scales — in rural America 

  • Visibility and support: Connection to AscendRural’s ecosystem of regional and national partners.  

We’re seeking solutions that: 

  • Strengthen senior care systems and workforce capacity 

  • Enable meaningful social connection and engagement 

  • Support safety, daily living, and aging in place 

Application window: Closed

FAQs for startups

About the program

  • The AscendRural Accelerator is a four-week, cohort-based program designed to empower technology companies to successfully enter and thrive in rural markets. The program equips technology companies with insights, mentorship, and partnerships necessary for rural adoption.

  • Our goal is to accelerate innovations and technology that measurably improve health outcomes, well-being, and quality of life in rural communities. We help companies refine their value proposition and go-to-market strategy specifically for the rural context.

  • AscendRural is currently seeking applicants for the Senior Care Accelerator, focused on technologies that address critical challenges facing rural senior care.

Eligibility and benefits

  • We are looking for forward-thinking products and solutions that help (but not limited to):

    • Strengthen care systems and workforce capacity

    • Enable social connection and engagement

    • Support daily living, safety, and aging at home

  • ‍Participants receive a comprehensive package of support, including:

    • Non-dilutive support: Startups may be eligible for paid pilots up to $150k upon successful matching with community pilot partners post-accelerator. This funding would be paid in the form of a services agreement with pilot deliverables and timeline for execution. Successful pilots leading to sustained contracts may be subject to a small administrative fee.

    • Pilot opportunities: Potential rural pilot site(s) through our Pilot Matching Program post-accelerator

    • Expert guidance: Subject matter expert advisors specific to your use case and rural markets

    • Exposure: A Demo Day with key community partners looking to pilot solutions similar to yours

    • Rural adoption playbook: Specialized support for storytelling and trust-building for rural adoption

    • Rural network for scaling: Access to AscendRural’s network of over 50,000 organizations and agencies to scale innovations after successful pilots

Program structure and next steps

  • The Accelerator is a four-week, cohort-based program. It blends tailored rural programming, expert feedback through practice pitches, and it includes a valuable in-person experience designed to deepen understanding of rural communities.

  • No, relocation is not required. Sessions are facilitated virtually, with the exception of in-person summit events that will be held in person. Details about required in-person events will be discussed during interviews.

  • The program is designed to lead directly into real-world opportunities. Post-accelerator support includes:

    • Pilot opportunities: Access to real-world pilot opportunities with rural providers, public agencies, and community organizations

  • Founders typically spend between two to four hours per week on accelerator deliverables.

  • You can apply directly to the open Senior Care Accelerator through the application link on the website. If you are not eligible for the current pilot but are interested in future programs, you can also sign up for updates to be notified about new opportunities.

Insights

  • Senior Care Pilot

    Press release (for technologies)

    With new program, AscendRural invites tech startups with ideas for senior care to get “rural ready.”

    Read the press release

  • Press release (for community collaborators)

    AscendRural launches new innovation program for senior care entities in central Minnesota and other rural communities across the country.

    Read the press release