With the help of Senator Tim Johnson’s office, N2TEC Institute, a national organization based in Rapid City, was successful in acquiring a $500,000 Small Business Administration grant for projects in South Dakota that will be completed over the next two years. Working with individuals and organizations on both the east and west sides of the state, N2TEC Institute intends to carry on activities that will increase the number of technology start‐ ups in South Dakota and leverage the innovation at its universities and research institutes to provide new goods and services for the benefit of society. The project takes a regional approach, leveraging existing strengths in the East River and West River regions of the state and focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship to drive future growth. By building collaborations among institutions of higher learning, entrepreneurship centers, and community organizations, and by linking global sources of knowledge and expertise to these rural regions, the chances of successfully launching new technology ventures in the state are increased.