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USDA Announces Launch of $100M Rural Business Investment Company

Thursday, October 20, 2016

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the launch of the McLarty Capital Partners’ Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) – a new private investment fund with the potential to inject $100 million into growth-oriented, small businesses across rural America. As the fifth RBIC to launch since 2014, McLarty Capital Partners’ RBIC is part of the Made in Rural America initiative, an ongoing effort by the Obama administration to attract private sector capital to investment opportunities in rural America and drive more economic growth in rural communities.

  • Read more about USDA Announces Launch of $100M Rural Business Investment Company

USDA Announces Investments in Projects to Support Rural Prosperity, Facilitate Private Investments

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Last week, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) held a special meeting that include approximately 100 investors and venture capitalists to help stimulate private sector investments in rural infrastructure projects with the potential to spur economic development in small towns and rural communities across the country. Through its U.S.

  • Read more about USDA Announces Investments in Projects to Support Rural Prosperity, Facilitate Private Investments

USDA, Private VCs Raising $125M for Rural Startups

Thursday, May 7, 2015

Two private venture firms have committed to raising a total of $125 million to invest in rural, early stage startups under the Department of Agriculture's Rural Business Investment Program. The program was launched last April, when Advantage Capital Partners launched the first $150 million Rural Business Investment Company (RBIC) fund.

  • Read more about USDA, Private VCs Raising $125M for Rural Startups

President Announces Capital Initiatives for Rural Small Businesses

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Speaking during a Rural Economic Forum at Northeast Iowa Community College in Peosta, IA, President Obama announced several new initiatives to promote economic growth in rural areas, including two new capital programs. The Small Business Administration (SBA) will partner with USDA to double its current rate of investment in rural small businesses to $350 million over the next five years. This will be accomplished through SBA's Impact Investment Fund.

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Recent news from the SSTI Digest

Place-based innovation comes of age: Federal regional innovation programs are reshaping America's technology economy

Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Strong regional ecosystems connect universities, entrepreneurs, investors, manufacturers, workforce organizations, and state and local governments. Rather than supporting just isolated institutions, federal agencies are now investing in collaborative regional networks capable of translating research into new companies, industries, and jobs. The intent is not for every region to become the next Silicon Valley, but to enable regions to compete by organizing around what they already do well.
NSF
EDA
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Takeaways from the ACA angel capital report

Wednesday, August 5, 2026
As SSTI noted in its recent look at quarterly investment activity, gaining insight into angel investment is difficult because of the challenges of separating angel activity from seed and other early VC transactions. Fortunately, the Angel Capital Association (ACA) recently published a report that provides a deep dive into 2025 angel investment activity and provides more clarity on this important financial partner for regional innovation. The big picture takeaway from the ACA report is that, like VCs, angel groups are making larger investments in fewer companies. 
angel capital

State grant programs support manufacturers and improve their competitiveness

Wednesday, August 5, 2026
As those involved with the longstanding, internationally recognized program know, an air of uncertainty has enveloped NIST’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) for the past two years. With the release of the new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for MEP Centers (see SSTI’s write‑up here), it appears that perhaps many of those troubles may be in the past. Even so, the uncertainty has prompted many manufacturers, small businesses, and MEP centers to explore alternate funding sources, partnerships, and forms of assistance beyond NIST.
MEP
states
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