Place-Fit Strategies
That Build Momentum

Tools & expertise for economic development
that attracts and multiplies private capital and federal funding.

Public Capital

For every time you've found yourself asking the question, "What should I do?" Our AI-powered, localized context provides the most relevant strategies.

Intelligence Layer

Scale and Multiply. Identify maximum community impact that drives prosperity and builds legacy.

Private Capital

De-risk local investments with clear ROI. Utilize capital models and frameworks that combine your capital for mutually beneficial financial incentives.

U.S. Economic Development Administration
RDF Ventures
Small Business Administration
Center on Rural Innovation
The Delta Regional Authority
gener8tor
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity
StartUp Rutland
U.S. Department of Agriculture
NSU Innovation & Startup Center
National Science Foundation
Arizona Regional Economic Development
U.S. Department of Labor
Black River Innovation Campus
Indy Commons
Brazos River Capital
Anthropic Economic Futures
DryGroundAI
CORI Fund
U.S. Economic Development Administration
RDF Ventures
Small Business Administration
Center on Rural Innovation
The Delta Regional Authority
gener8tor
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity
StartUp Rutland
U.S. Department of Agriculture
NSU Innovation & Startup Center
National Science Foundation
Arizona Regional Economic Development
U.S. Department of Labor
Black River Innovation Campus
Indy Commons
Brazos River Capital
Anthropic Economic Futures
DryGroundAI
CORI Fund

What Leaders Are Saying

Rural economic development leaders share their thoughts on Small Block's approach to community-driven solutions.

“The Small Block team has been one of the most thoughtful and driven leaders I have seen emerge from a rural innovation ecosystem. Their work blends vision, rigor, and purpose.”
Matt Dunne

Founder, Center on Rural Innovation

“Small Block is led by authentic leaders, innovators, and ecosystem builders, whose focus on delivering value directly and incisively to founders is matched only by their passion for seeing that value flourish in rural communities.”
Nathan Willingham

Partner/Principal Planner, Slaughter & Willingham

“The world needs more passionate and brilliant people like the Small Block team!! They have snapped the tech entrepreneurial ecosystem beyond measure.”
Bea Fischer-Smith

Director, Northern Innovation & Startup Center

“Small Block is led by true visionaries in every sense of the word. They have the ability to solve problems before they even exist. Couple that with the fact that they understand rural communities and their nuances you have nothing short of a winning recipe.”
Mignonne Hollis

Executive Director, Arizona Regional Economic Development Foundation

“The Small Block team includes rare builders—people who intimately understand the rhythm of rural ecosystems and know how to forge them toward bold, future-facing outcomes. As someone deeply immersed in growing these ecosystems myself, I see in this project a thoughtful step toward aligning emerging technologies with the lived realities of rural communities—rooted in people, place, and purpose.”
Mose Cassaro

Founder & GP, RDF Ventures; Program Partner, gener8tor; Director & Co-Founder, StartUp Rutland

The future belongs to America's unlikely places

You can help shed light on one of the most unnoticed pillars that has caused rural economic decline.