The Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration awarded a $8.056 million project grant under the BUILD TO SCALE federal grant program to the Marquette TECH District Foundation Inc. The grant funds the Southern Missouri Innovation Network project, which aims to accelerate technology-based economic development across a predominantly rural, historically distressed 47-county region. The project combines efforts from Missouri State University and the Codefi Foundation to help increase the supply, demand, and network impacts of technology-based economic development. Specifically, the project is expected to create and scale 75 new technology companies, create 150 high-wage jobs, and attract $20 million in follow-on capital once completed by October 2025.