Building What Matters - Announcing Codefi's AI Industry Startup Studios in HealthTech, Ag-Tech, and Advanced Manufacturing
A new startup development approach to solving real problems in Missouri—and creating lasting economic impact.
September 26, 2025
Why Industry Studios, Why Now
At Codefi, we’ve learned something simple but powerful: startups move faster, de-risk smarter, and build stronger companies when they work shoulder-to-shoulder with the people who live with the problem every day. Our new industry startup studios in healthcare, ag-tech, and advanced manufacturing put that principle into practice. These studios are designed to convert frontline pain points into validated opportunities, assemble founding teams around them, and build venture-backable AI-native software companies that create jobs and prosperity right here in Missouri. This is our mission in action—building tech companies and talent so geography never limits opportunity.
The model is pragmatic by design: we pair industry operators with Codefi’s company-building playbook and AI-powered platforms,1 leverage targeted pilots to earn traction early, and help startupss raise the right capital at the right time. No hype—just disciplined, hands-on work to launch durable companies that matter to our communities.
Quick links: The Southern Missouri Bet2 • Venture Philanthropy Meets Venture Capital3
The First Studio to Launch: HealthTech AI—In Partnership with JRAH
We’re thrilled to announce the HealthTech AI Software Startup Studio, a multi-year collaboration with the Joplin Regional Alliance for Health and Health Sciences (JRAH)4 that will systematically identify problems and healthcare market opportunities, and build AI-powered software solutions to address them.
How it works (six-month implementation cycles)
- Opportunity Discovery & Validation – Structured interviews and shadowing with providers, educators, and administrators to surface high-value problems in digital health, population health management, and health education technology.
- Solution Design & MVP – Rapid prototyping and user testing to confirm problem-solution fit; we scope an MVP with clear success metrics and use AI vibe-coding tools to pilot requirements.
- Pilot & Traction – On-the-ground pilots through JRAH’s network; iterate to measurable clinical or operational outcomes.
- Founding Team Formation & Funding Pathways – Recruit or assemble local founding talent, then prepare ventures for early capital introductions and growth.
JRAH brings deep industry access; Codefi leads opportunity validation, MVP development, and team formation. Or said more plainly: they open the doors; we build the companies.
“By combining our extensive healthcare network with Codefi’s proven track record in building successful technology companies, we’re positioned to create solutions that truly address the challenges facing healthcare providers and patients,” said Lori Worthington, Executive Director of JRAH.
“This partnership allows us to focus our mission of eliminating rural opportunity gaps specifically on healthcare,” said James Stapleton, CEO of Codefi. “Together, we’re building a de-risked pathway to innovation that can create lasting economic impact while solving real problems.”
Economic impact, locally rooted
We’re building companies that hire here and grow here. As the studio advances, new ventures will create quality jobs in and around the greater Joplin region—executive management, software roles, product development, customer success, implementation, and more—while improving care delivery in communities that need it most. This is the kind of practical innovation that strengthens families and grows local economies.
What Makes the Codefi Studio Model Different
We build with, not for, industry
Our founders don’t guess at requirements from a distance. They sit with clinical teams, agronomists, and plant managers to understand constraints, workflows, and outcomes. We translate that context into software people will actually use.
We de-risk early and often
Real-world pilots and clear metrics beat abstract market decks every time. We help startups earn credible traction—proof points that unlock introductions to aligned capital and growth.
We’re mission-driven and place-based
Our studios are a direct expression of Codefi’s promise: empower founders and tech talent to advance their economic position while building thriving communities in rural Missouri. When these companies win, so do our neighbors.
Founder and Functional Expertise, Tech Talent, Capital, and the Missouri Advantage
Studios don’t succeed on inspiration alone—they succeed because the ingredients are in the room. Through our broader platform, startups get coordinated access to:
- Experienced Founders and Fractional Executives – Startups built by seasoned leaders in management, product development, sales and marketing, and operations.
- Talent Pipelines – Codefi AI‑first training programs and regional partners preparing the next wave of developers and product builders.
- Capital Pathways – Education and introductions that help startups pursue the right capital for their stage, with a focus on Missouri-based resources5 where possible.
- Regional Connectors – A statewide network6 that helps startups find early customers, mentors, and pilots without leaving home.
All of this reflects Codefi’s brand promise: equipping startups and talent with the skills, world class tools, and community they need to thrive—confident, capable, and independent.
The Bigger Story We’re Building Together
Industry startup studios aren’t just a new program—they’re a stance. They say that meaningful innovation should emerge from the places where people build things, heal people, and grow our food. They say that rural and smaller-metro regions can lead when the work is organized around real customers and real constraints. And they say that the best way to spread opportunity is to create it—company by company, job by job. That’s the heart of our mission.
At a regional level, this approach helps Missouri convert its natural advantages—strong healthcare systems, deep agricultural expertise, and a proud manufacturing base—into competitive software ventures. At a national level, it’s a blueprint for how communities outside major metros can build enduring innovation capacity: align industry demand, pair it with disciplined venture-building, and keep ownership and jobs rooted locally.
What’s Next for Codefi's Industry Studios
HealthTech AI, launching now. We’ll share the official launch date, initial partner lineup, and first discovery sprint windows for the HealthTech AI Studio. Expect stories on pilots, outcomes, and lessons other communities can use.
Ag‑Tech & Advanced Manufacturing, pilots next. We’ll announce the first pilot geographies soon—prioritizing places where these sectors anchor local economies:
- Ag‑Tech in Southern Missouri. From the Bootheel’s row‑crop operations to Ozarks livestock and specialty producers, agriculture is foundational here. We’re exploring software to improve yield, resource efficiency (water, inputs, energy), traceability, and resilience—tools that fit the season, acreage, equipment, and margins.
- Advanced Manufacturing across Missouri. We’re exploring pilot opportunities with manufacturers in multiple regional hubs across the state. Focus areas include AI‑native tools for real‑time visibility, digital work instructions & training, quality/compliance automation, and supplier & maintenance coordination—designed to deliver measurable wins in weeks, not quarters. Pilot geographies will be announced as they’re finalized.
Discovery sprints & founder on‑ramps. Each studio will begin with short, structured discovery sprints with growers, processors, and plant leaders to shape problem statements and success metrics. We’ll recruit Builders‑in‑Residence, Venture Leads, and Discovery Fellows ready to co‑build with early customers from day one.
Stay in the loop: Join our newsletter • Express interest as a partner • Reach out to build with us
How to Get Involved
Founders & Builders
If you’re ready to solve a meaningful problem in healthcare, agriculture, or manufacturing—and you want to build with customers from day one—raise your hand and fill out our interest form.
Industry Partners
If you’re a healthcare system, grower, processor, or manufacturer who wants to provide insights that make your teams more effective, we’d love to talk. Get in touch here.
Community Leaders & Funders
If you believe strong companies create strong communities, join us. Your support helps us turn problem‑solvers into job‑creators across Missouri. Get in touch for investment opportunities.
In Closing
We’re proud to launch these studios in the communities we serve—the first with our friends at JRAH. Together, we’re building the future from the inside out—one practical win, one new job, one Missouri-made company at a time. If you’re ready to help, we’re ready to build.