Chicostart

Location

Chico, CA

 

Build to Scale Program

Venture Challenge

 

Project Name

Accelerate Innovation by Mobilization to Rural Communities (AIM-RC)

 

Award Amount

Federal Share

Local Match

 

$549,999

$550,000

Chicostart, in partnership with California State University-Fresno’s Water, Energy, and Technology (WET) Center and CleanStart, will leverage this EDA investment to execute the Accelerate Innovation by Mobilization to Rural Communities (AIM-RC) project, a unique, 3-year, partnership-focused expansion of current small-scale programs.

This project will utilize proven programming to mobilize emerging business support, innovation development, and business acceleration in rural communities across the target region. The focus will be on critical regional industries relevant to the rural target area, including agriculture/food, water efficiency, healthcare/biotechnology, sustainable forest management, clean technology/clean manufacturing, and sustainable tourism. This collaborative project will provide strong, rural-focused jobs and economic development that support historically underserved and underfunded communities and regions.