By guest authors Irina Patterson and Candice Arnold John: We think we have the rural model down. We think we’ve learned how to get this kind of work done in a distressed area, without a pre-existing infrastructure of innovation centers, private capital, population density, and major employers and research institutions. We’re hoping that what we
By guest authors Irina Patterson and Candice Arnold John: If we’re able to bring in outside dollars in support of one our companies, that’s a validation. Somebody else evaluated and decided to put his chips down on the opportunity that we cultivated and developed; that is a validation that we’re doing good. So, that’s one
By guest authors Irina Patterson and Candice Arnold John: We help to organize a network of angel investors in this rural area. We provide them with a professional fund manager and help them to determine their offering to each other, the agreements they have, and the processes by which they will evaluate companies and invest
By guest authors Irina Patterson and Candice Arnold John: One of the things about the kinds of companies that we uncover and work with is that they are in need of a great deal of help. Rather than a large, urban, metropolitan area where a company that is very early stage may come with a