What Emerging Prairie does

Emerging Prairie is a Fargo, North Dakota-based nonprofit organization founded in 2012 that operates as a regional ecosystem builder across three intersecting pillars: entrepreneurship (StartupBREW Fargo weekly networking, Prairie Capital Summit, Founders Retreat), innovation (Grand Farm AgTech initiative, Cultivate Conference, Elevate: AI in Agriculture Summit, Autonomous Nation), and technology workforce (Emerging Digital Academy software-development bootcamp). Its programs serve founders, AgTech companies, growers, researchers, and individuals seeking tech careers primarily in the Fargo-Moorhead region, with Grand Farm extending operations into Georgia and Montana and a 600-acre Innovation Campus in Casselton, ND.

The organization operates a portfolio of recurring programs and events rather than a unified software product. Grand Farm is positioned as a global collaborative innovation network and is the lead, co-lead, or consortium member on multiple federal programs (NSF Engine Type II, EDA Good Jobs Challenge, EDA Tech Hubs, USDA National Proving Grounds Network for AgTech). Emerging Digital Academy delivers software development training with industry mentorship. Supporting infrastructure includes the Prairie Den coworking space at 118 Broadway N Suite S1, Fargo, and calendar/event integration tooling (Eventbrite, Google Calendar, iCalendar, Outlook 365, Mailchimp, Airtable). The organization does not maintain a public or partner-facing API.

Emerging Prairie's business model is nonprofit grant and partnership funded. Revenue is generated through annual partnership tiers ($20,000, $10,000, $5,000 levels), event sponsorships ($10,000 Premier down to $2,500 Bronze), federal grant awards, philanthropic contributions (e.g., FM Area Foundation's $100M in regional grants), and volunteer support. Named Annual Partners and ecosystem partners include Bell Bank, Eide Bailly, Microsoft, 50 South Capital, Kilbourne Group, GFMEDC, gener8tor, FM Area Foundation, Bank of North Dakota, Badlands Capital Partners, John Deere, Pivot Bio, USDA ARS, and Heartland Forward. The organization is governed by a board chaired by Kodee Furst (50 South Capital) with representation from Microsoft (Mary Snapp), John Deere (Jahmy Hindman), Heartland Forward (Angie Cooper), and others. Greg Tehven serves as CEO and Co-Founder.

Name

Emerging Prairie

Legal name

Emerging Prairie

Website

https://emergingprairie.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Emerging Prairie is a Fargo-based nonprofit that energizes the upper-Midwest entrepreneurial ecosystem by running the Grand Farm AgTech initiative, the Emerging Digital Academy coding bootcamp, and recurring community programs such as StartupBREW Fargo, TEDxFargo, and Prairie Capital Summit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Economic Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Agriculture, Farming & AgriTech Shows Organizers (THAHABAM)

Keywords

• Community nonprofit programming
• Entrepreneurship support services
• Agtech innovation initiative
• Technology workforce training
• Ecosystem building events

Headquarters

HQ city

Fargo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Emerging Prairie is a community non-profit that convenes and supports the upper Midwest entrepreneurship, technology, and agtech ecosystem through flagship programs including Grand Farm (agricultural technology innovation), Emerging Digital Academy (software developer training), StartupBREW Fargo (entrepreneur storytelling event and podcast), TEDxFargo (licensed TED event), Prairie Capital Summit (investor readiness), and Cultivate/Elevate summits. It operates a coworking space called Prairie Den and runs community gatherings such as Coffee + Coding, 1 Million Thanks, Founders Retreat, and Grand Farm Field Days. Services are delivered primarily to individual entrepreneurs, technologists, students, farmers, and community members, with financial support from corporate partners, sponsors, and donors.

Product overview

Emerging Prairie is a community-focused organization operating as a platform-plus-initiatives model rather than a unified software product. The core organization energizes communities through three pillars: Entrepreneurship (StartupBREW Fargo networking, Prairie Capital Summit), Innovation (Grand Farm agriculture technology initiative, Cultivate Conference, Elevate AI Summit, Autonomous Nation), and Technology (Emerging Digital Academy coding bootcamp, Coffee + Coding meetups). Supporting initiatives include the 1 Million Thanks awards program, Founders Retreat, and Prairie Den coworking space. The portfolio functions as interconnected community programs rather than a modular software suite, with Grand Farm serving as the flagship innovation platform and Emerging Digital Academy providing technology workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grand Farm: A global collaborative network working together to solve problems in agriculture through technology and innovation, led by Dr. William Aderholdt as Executive Director.
• Emerging Digital Academy
• StartupBREW Fargo
• TEDxFargo
• Prairie Capital Summit
• 1 Million Thanks

Products and services

• Grand Farm A flagship applied agtech innovation initiative operated by Emerging Prairie to advance agriculture technology and innovation in the upper Midwest, including the Grand Farm Field Days applied-demonstration events. Targeted at farmers, agtech companies, researchers, students, and community members.
• StartupBREW Fargo An entrepreneur storytelling event and companion podcast series featuring founders and innovators, hosted and produced by Emerging Prairie. Targeted at local entrepreneurs, founders, students, and community members.
• TEDxFargo A licensed independently organized TED-style event hosted by Emerging Prairie, featuring local speakers sharing ideas with the regional community. Targeted at idea-driven community members, students, and local innovators.
• Prairie Capital Summit An investor readiness and capital formation event hosted by Emerging Prairie, designed to connect founders with investors and educate entrepreneurs on growth funding. Targeted at startup founders, investors, and the regional business community.
• Emerging Digital Academy A 36-week software developer training program operated by Emerging Prairie that prepares adult learners and career-changers for entry-level software development roles, with graduate placement support. Targeted at prospective adult learners and career transitioners in the upper Midwest.
• Prairie Den A community coworking space operated by Emerging Prairie in Fargo, ND, providing workspace to local entrepreneurs, remote workers, and community members.
• 1 Million Thanks A recognition initiative operated by Emerging Prairie that highlights and celebrates local community contributors and innovators. Targeted at community members across the upper Midwest.
• Cultivate Conference A community-hosted conference program operated by Emerging Prairie. Targeted at entrepreneurs, community leaders, and ecosystem participants.
• Elevate: An AI in Agriculture Summit A summit hosted by Emerging Prairie focused on the intersection of AI and agriculture, convening agtech stakeholders, researchers, and producers.
• Autonomous Nation A flagship autonomous agriculture initiative operated by Emerging Prairie under the Grand Farm umbrella, focused on autonomous agriculture technology and field-scale demonstration.
• Grand Farm Field Days An applied field demonstration event operated by Emerging Prairie as part of Grand Farm, showcasing agriculture technology in real-world field settings. Targeted at farmers, agtech companies, and researchers.
• Coffee + Coding A community meetup program hosted by Emerging Prairie that brings together aspiring and current software developers for informal coding discussions and networking. Targeted at local technologists and aspiring developers.
• Founders Retreat A cohort-style retreat program hosted by Emerging Prairie bringing together founders for concentrated programming. Targeted at early-stage founders in the regional ecosystem.
• Show & Tell A community demo-style event hosted by Emerging Prairie showcasing work by local builders, technologists, and creators.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bell BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBell Bank is a family- and employee-owned bank headquartered in Fargo, celebrating 60 years of community banking and more than $32 million given through its Pay It Forward program. Bell Bank is an Annual Partner of Emerging Prairie and provides support through sponsorships, volunteer time, and board leadership. Bell Bank team members receive 16 hours of paid volunteer time, and the organization consistently volunteers at Emerging Prairie events.
• Eide BaillycoreTechnology or IntegrationEide Bailly is a partner in Emerging Prairie's ecosystem, supporting technology community development through mentorship (Emerging Digital Academy mentors like Kara Kalbus serve as Technology Community Champions) and professional services. It is listed as an Annual Partner.
• MicrosoftcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMicrosoft is an Annual Partner of Emerging Prairie. Mary Snapp, Senior Fellow at Microsoft Corporate External & Legal Affairs, serves as Board Vice Chair of Emerging Prairie's Board of Directors.
• FM Area FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFM Area Foundation is an Annual Partner of Emerging Prairie. It was awarded the Community Impact Award at the 2026 1 Million Thanks Awards for its philanthropic leadership and investment of more than $100 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and initiatives in the Fargo-Moorhead community.
• gener8torcoreGTM or Marketing Partnergener8tor is listed as both an Annual Partner and Startup Ecosystem Partner, supporting the connection of founders and entrepreneurs to helpful resources and providing access to key partners in the Fargo-Moorhead region.
• Kilbourne GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKilbourne Group is a Startup Ecosystem Partner and Annual Partner that has contributed to the community. They received the Team Player Award at the 2019 1 Million Thanks Awards.
• Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (GFMEDC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerGFMEDC is listed as an Annual Partner of Emerging Prairie, helping to weave the entrepreneur, technology, and innovation communities and maximize the region's potential.
• EncryptomaticminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEncryptomatic is listed as an Annual Partner of Emerging Prairie, contributing to the ecosystem of partners supporting the organization's work.
• MarshminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarsh is a Startup Ecosystem Partner providing risk management and insurance expertise to Emerging Prairie's ecosystem.
• Drekker Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDrekker Brewing Company is a Startup Ecosystem Partner that supports the entrepreneurial community, providing a local venue and community space for events.
• John DeerecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohn Deere, through its Chief Technology Officer Jahmy Hindman serving on Emerging Prairie's Board of Directors, is a key strategic partner. John Deere's involvement supports the Grand Farm initiative and agricultural technology innovation in the region. Jaryd Krishnan of John Deere was awarded Technology Community Champion in 2025.
• Pivot BiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPivot Bio was named Grand Farm Partner of the Year at the 2026 1 Million Thanks Awards for its leadership in advancing novel crop nutrition technologies and commitment to science-driven agriculture through its partnership with Grand Farm. Pivot Bio has helped accelerate agtech innovation, showcase real-world applications, and bring forward practical solutions that improve grower outcomes.
• Forum CommunicationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerForum Communications received the Community Leadership Award at the 2026 1 Million Thanks Awards for its enduring role as storytellers, civic leaders, and community builders through early and continued support of TEDxFargo, StartupBREW Fargo, and Grand Farm.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSBA was awarded Ecosystem Champion at the 2025 1 Million Thanks Awards for its national leadership in fostering networks that support small businesses and for facilitating SBA Administrator Guzman's visit in summer 2024, which brought national attention to the region's innovation and entrepreneurship efforts.
• AgCountry Farm Credit ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgCountry Farm Credit Services received the Innovation Champion Award at the 2025 1 Million Thanks Awards for its role as a key driver of agricultural innovation connecting regional AgTech partners to new opportunities.
• USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA ARS received the Grand Farm Innovation Champion award at the 2024 1 Million Thanks Awards. As the principal in-house research agency of the USDA, ARS has research centers in Fargo, Grand Forks, and Mandan, and has been a foundational partner in the Grand Farm ecosystem.
• FARMS TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FARMS Team received the Grand Farm Innovation Project of the Year award at the 2024 1 Million Thanks Awards. FARMS is a collaborative comprising NDSU, the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber Foundation, GFMEDC, the North Dakota Tribal College System, and Grand Farm, creating a global AgTech engine.
• Heartland ForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Forward, led by President Angie Cooper who serves on Emerging Prairie's Board of Directors, is a research and policy organization focused on economic opportunity in the 20-state heartland region. Heartland Forward's flagship event is the Heartland Summit.
• Amity Technology / FarmQAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoward Dahl, Chairman of FarmQA and President/CEO of Amity Technology, serves on Emerging Prairie's Board of Directors. Amity Technology builds sugar beet harvesting equipment and other farm machinery.
• RDO Equipment Co. / R.D. Offutt CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRon Offutt, founder of R.D. Offutt Company and RDO Equipment Co., received the Lifetime Impact Award at the 2024 1 Million Thanks Awards. His companies represent the largest network of John Deere construction and agricultural equipment dealerships in the U.S., bringing jobs and opportunities to the region.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Heartland Forward: Research and policy organization driving economic opportunity across the 20-state heartland. Adjacent regional-impact mission and overlapping partner network (also an Emerging Prairie partner via board representation).

Direct peers

• gener8tor: Midwest-based accelerator and investment platform that runs cohorts and ecosystem programs. Both organizations run founder/accelerator programming in the Midwest and serve overlapping entrepreneur audiences (gener8tor is also a core partner of Emerging Prairie).
• LaunchCode: National nonprofit combining coding workforce training with employer placement, mirroring Emerging Digital Academy's 'train-and-place' model. Targets similar structural talent shortage opportunity in non-coastal tech ecosystems.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform connecting startups, corporations, and investors through accelerator cohorts, pilots, and industry-specific programs. Overlaps with Emerging Prairie's role as a connector of founders, corporates, and capital across multiple sectors.
• SVG Ventures | THRIVE: AgTech-focused innovation platform running accelerator programs, field trials, and corporate-startup connections. Direct comparison set for Grand Farm's AgTech accelerator/proving ground offering.
• Rev1 Ventures: Nonprofit regional innovation center in Columbus, OH providing accelerator programming, venture capital, and corporate connections. Combines community programming with startup investment similar to Emerging Prairie's Prairie Capital Summit and Grand Farm.
• MassChallenge: Global nonprofit startup accelerator and founder community offering programs, mentorship, and corporate partnerships without taking equity. Comparable nonprofit-driven founder-acceleration mission and large partner network.
• 1871: Nonprofit technology and innovation hub in Chicago combining coworking, programming, and corporate connections. Closely mirrors Emerging Prairie's model of a community-driven hub spanning tech, entrepreneurship, and corporate partnership.

Regional players

• Western Growers Association: Agricultural trade association that runs an AgTech innovation and startup initiative in California. Comparable AgTech ecosystem builder with a different regional focus, useful as a regional alternative in adjacent geography.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator with hundreds of industry-focused programs and a large partner network. Operates an overlapping founder/corporate-connect model, though at vastly greater scale and a for-profit structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/EmergingPrairie
• Instagraminstagram.com/startupbrewfargo
• Xx.com/emergingprairie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emergingprairie

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emerging Prairie