THIS GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO STIMULATE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY ENHANCING TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. WE WILL IDENTIFY NEW RURAL INNOVATION LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO SEED AND EARLY STAGE FINANCIAL CAPITAL AND UNIVERSITY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE FOR COMMERCIALIZATION. OUR STUDY WILL FOCUS ON: 1) RURAL FIRM OWNERS/ENTREPRENEURS; 2) PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SEED AND EARLY STAGE INVESTORS; AND 3) UNIVERSITIES ACTORS (FACULTY, RESEARCH ADMINISTRATORS, AND OFFICES OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT). WE WILL RECRUIT THE SAMPLE POPULATIONS OF RESEARCH SUBJECTS AS WELL AS THE STAKEHOLDERS FOR EXTENSION ACTIVITIES FROM A UNIQUE AND ESTABLISHED STAKEHOLDER NETWORK FOSTERED BY AN INVENTOR-INVESTOR MATCHING PROGRAM CALLED "INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT." WE WILL IDENTIFY SPECIFIC FACTORS LEADING TO AND OBSTACLES RESTRICTING RURAL FIRMS' ACCESS TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC FINICAL CAPITAL AND UNIVERSITY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAN LEAD TO NEW RURAL INNOVATION LAUNCHES AND PROVIDE TRAINING FOR RURAL FIRMS INTERESTED IN INNOVATION LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES. OUR ANALYSIS USES A MIXED METHODS APPROACH BASED ON PRIMARY AND SECONDARY QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA. THE PROJECT IS COMPREHENSIVE BECAUSE WE PLAN TO INCLUDE A VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONAL TYPES IN OUR DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES. OUR METHODS MAY HAVE APPLICABILITY WELL BEYOND THE QUESTIONS AT HAND, HELPING EXTENSION NATIONALLY EXPLORE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CONNECTING INCREASINGLY SPECIALIZED AUDIENCES TO ACADEMIC RESOURCES IN WAYS THAT EASILY CROSS STATE LINES. THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE A NETWORK OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL MATCH-MAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO INNOVATION-SPECIFIC RESOURCES USED TO ACCELERATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.