Take Fargo, North Dakota, where a wave of entrepreneurs is quietly pioneering some of the most compelling AI applications today—without the glitz that often surrounds tech breakthroughs from giants like Apple and Microsoft during the early 2000s.

That said, Microsoft does have a footprint in the Midwest’s evolving tech landscape. Yet beyond corporate involvement, there's a rising tide of local innovation fueled by homegrown startups, nonprofit organizations, trade associations, and proactive support from city and state governments.

A Culture of Togetherness

One defining trait of business in this region is an unwavering spirit of cooperation.

People here might not throw around the word “collaboration” often—it feels too corporate, too stiff. But the concept is deeply embedded in daily life across Fargo and the surrounding communities, as natural as a winter handshake after helping someone shovel their driveway.

Peter Chamberlain, an MIT alumnus and CEO of Walkwise—a Fargo-based startup—shared insights into how this communal mindset fuels entrepreneurship. He pointed to the roles played by local entities like Grand Farm and Emerging Prairie, alongside public initiatives such as North Dakota’s LIFT program, APUC, the Bank of North Dakota, and other government-backed efforts.

“The harsh winters shape a culture where people have to rely on one another,” Chamberlain explained. “Whether it’s plowing snow, jump-starting a car, pushing someone out of a drift, offering a ride, or lending tools—it’s all part of life here. That same ethos carries over into business. Founders here genuinely support each other.”

AI That Protects Seniors

Chamberlain’s company has been featured in regional outlets like Fargo Inc., spotlighting its mission to make sense of health risks for older adults using artificial intelligence.

He described the technology in technical terms:
“We continuously gather non-invasive data from high-risk seniors and compare it against predictive models. This essentially ‘triggers’ the AI to assess whether current behaviors suggest a high probability of a serious health incident.”

He offered two real-world scenarios:

“Would you worry if a senior hasn’t moved in four hours? Maybe not—unless they have congestive heart failure. If the AI model shows that CHF patients with more than two such inactivity episodes in a day face a 60% hospitalization risk, suddenly that stillness becomes a red flag.”

And another:

“What if someone’s activity drops by 40% over two days? On its own, that might not raise alarms. But what if the AI also knows there’s a respiratory virus outbreak, the person was recently diagnosed with COPD, and those two days are usually their most active? Now you’re not guessing—you’re making informed, AI-powered healthcare decisions.”

Fargo’s strong presence of Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the U.S., gives Chamberlain’s team access to diverse patient populations for testing and refinement.

These stories of grassroots innovation are beginning to gain national attention. Events like Chipp Con and Grand Farm’s Elevate: An AI in Agriculture Summit have brought entrepreneurs, investors, and tech leaders from across the country to Fargo, transforming the city into an unexpected hub for AI dialogue. Even national accelerator gener8tor has established a foothold here.

Building a Broader Ecosystem

Walkwise is just one example of a new wave of AI-driven companies emerging across the region. Recent analyses highlight that the rise of AI in the American heartland isn’t just about cheaper real estate or easier hiring—it’s about intentional investment in AI infrastructure in areas long overlooked by the tech industry.

This community-first philosophy extends to how North Dakota is funding its future. The state has laid a solid foundation for innovation through targeted legislation and financial programs designed to support entrepreneurs at every stage—from concept to scale.

State Representative Mike Nathe, architect of North Dakota’s LIFT and In-State Investment programs, underscores their importance: “We’ve worked hard to create an environment where innovators have the resources they need to thrive. Initiatives like the LIFT Fund and the North Dakota Growth Fund are empowering startups to pursue bold ideas while building a stronger, more resilient economy.”

Among these initiatives is the North Dakota Growth Fund (NDGF), launched in 2021 by the State Investment Board (SIB). This $100 million multi-stage fund, managed by 50 South Capital, focuses on venture capital, private equity, growth equity, credit, infrastructure, and real assets—all with an emphasis on ventures tied to North Dakota’s economy.

Meanwhile, the ND Legacy Fund, a sovereign wealth fund funded by oil and gas revenues, is increasingly being directed toward AI and data infrastructure. As Governor Doug Burgum noted in a recent press release regarding a new data center project:

“With our all-of-the-above energy strategy and national leadership in carbon capture, utilization, and storage, we’re uniquely positioned to power data centers and other energy-intensive industries responsibly—bringing high-quality jobs and economic diversification to our state.”

For many, these public-private partnerships represent the blueprint for how states can harness AI to drive inclusive growth. 2025 has already brought significant momentum, and with the fall and winter months ahead, even more transformation may be on the horizon. Can we shape AI into a force for good? In the Midwest, optimism is growing.

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