05/16/2026
Listen in!
Entrepreneurship has always been one of rural America’s greatest strengths. Across the country, rural founders are creating jobs, solving real-world problems, building wealth that stays rooted locally, and shaping the future of their communities.
But too often, that momentum is hard to see — and even harder to measure.
Join us for a live webinar exploring our new Rural Entrepreneurship Index, built in partnership with the Capital One Insights Center. This first-of-its-kind tool brings together 11 key measures of entrepreneurial activity to help rural leaders better understand where their communities stand and where opportunity is ready to grow. The Index gives rural communities a clearer way to see their entrepreneurial strengths and turn insight into action.
The conversation will begin with Amanda Weinstein, CORI’s Director of Research, who will walk through the Rural Entrepreneurship Index and share what the data reveals about the real patterns of rural entrepreneurship.
Then, Rhonda Ladig, CORI’s Director of Entrepreneurship, will moderate a practical, energizing panel with rural leaders building entrepreneurial ecosystems on the ground:
➢ Eric Harry, Founding Director, Wachholz Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at FVCC — Northwest Montana
➢ Rose Reza, Executive Director, UNM-Taos HIVE — Taos, New Mexico
➢ Monica Bilak, Executive Director, Sprocket Paducah — Paducah, Kentucky
➢ Emily Wells, Community & Engagement Manager, Greenlight & Gig East— Wilson, North Carolina
Together, they’ll dig into what it takes to support rural entrepreneurs, strengthen local ecosystems, connect founders to resources, and build the conditions for long-term economic growth.
The webinar will close with a fireside chat hosted by Jay Bockhaus, CORI’s Chief Investment Officer, featuring Dusty Birge, CEO of Fast Forward in Kearney, Nebraska. This conversation will bring the data to life through the story of a rural entrepreneur building, scaling, and creating opportunity from the ground up.
This is an event for rural leaders, economic developers, founders, investors, philanthropies, policymakers, and anyone who believes rural communities should have the tools, capital, and visibility they need to thrive. You won't want to miss it!
Because when rural entrepreneurship becomes visible, it becomes investible.
And when rural entrepreneurs have what they need to grow, rural communities help shape the future of the U.S. economy.
