Codefi Announces AgTech AI Startup Studio and AgTech Vibeathon for Cape Girardeau at Southeast Missouri Economic Development Symposium

Rural innovation nonprofit expands proven startup studio model and AI-powered hackathon program to Southeast Missouri's agricultural sector

November 20, 2025

Codefi today announced two major initiatives to accelerate agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship in Southeast Missouri during a panel discussion at the 2025 Southeast Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (SEED) Symposium. The announcements include the launch of an AgTech AI Startup Studio focused on agriculture technology solutions and the expansion of Missouri's Vibeathon program to Cape Girardeau, targeting agricultural innovation challenges.

The announcements were made by Dr. James Stapleton, Founder and CEO of Codefi, during a panel on artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship that featured insights from national economic development leaders and Missouri-based technology founders.

"Southeast Missouri's agricultural economy represents both our heritage and our future," said Dr. Stapleton. "By combining the region's deep agricultural expertise with AI-powered startup studio methodologies, we're creating a systematic pathway to turn local agricultural challenges into scalable technology solutions. These aren't just startups—they're businesses designed to create jobs, serve real market needs, and strengthen our regional economy."

Building What Matters: The Startup Studio Approach

The AgTech AI Startup Studio will employ Codefi's proven startup studio model—a hands-on, co-founder approach to company building that significantly de-risks entrepreneurship. Unlike traditional startup incubators that provide space and mentorship, startup studios actively build companies from ideation through scaling, providing comprehensive operational support including product development, market validation, team formation, and fundraising guidance.

Startup studios achieve substantially higher success rates than traditional startups—approximately 30% higher according to industry research—by systematically validating market demand, providing full-scope operational teams, and streamlining access to capital. Studio-backed ventures reach funding milestones twice as fast as conventional startups, allowing founders to focus on execution rather than constantly seeking resources.

"The startup studio model transforms how we approach entrepreneurship in rural communities," Dr. Stapleton explained. "Rather than expecting founders to figure everything out on their own, we become their co-founder—providing the expertise, infrastructure, and capital they need to succeed. This approach is particularly powerful in specialized sectors like agriculture technology, where deep domain knowledge combined with technical capabilities can create transformative solutions."

The AgTech studio will focus on three critical areas:

• Precision Agriculture Solutions: Developing AI-powered tools for crop monitoring, yield optimization, and resource management that help farmers increase productivity while reducing environmental impact.
• Supply Chain Innovation: Creating technologies that improve efficiency in agricultural logistics, storage, and distribution, connecting Southeast Missouri producers more effectively with regional and national markets.
• Sustainable Farming Technologies: Building solutions that support regenerative agriculture practices, soil health monitoring, and sustainable land management.

The studio will be based in Cape Girardeau, positioning it at the heart of one of Missouri's most productive agricultural regions. By embedding the studio directly in Southeast Missouri's agricultural community, Codefi can work closely with farmers, agricultural businesses, and industry experts to ensure solutions address real market needs.

Funding support for the AgTech studio has been made possible through competitive grants from the Missouri Technology Corporation¹ and strategic partnerships with agricultural organizations across Southeast Missouri.

Vibeathon Cape: Accelerating AgTech Innovation Through AI-Powered Build Sprints

In addition to the AgTech studio announcement, Codefi revealed plans to bring its innovative Vibeathon² program to Cape Girardeau, focusing on agricultural innovation in partnership with regional agricultural organizations.

Vibeathon is Missouri's first AI-native coding hackathon program, designed to make advanced product development accessible to anyone with an idea—no traditional coding experience required. The program teaches "vibe-coding," an intuitive AI-assisted style of programming where participants describe their intent in natural language and let generative AI tools generate, debug, and refine ideas into working software.

"Vibeathon represents a fundamental shift in who can build technology," said Dr. Stapleton. "By leveraging AI coding tools, we're empowering farmers, agricultural professionals, business operators, students, and community members to turn their ideas into working prototypes in a single weekend. This democratization of technology creation is exactly what rural communities need to compete in the innovation economy."

The inaugural Vibeathon Cape will bring together participants to tackle real-world agricultural challenges identified by local farmers, agribusinesses, and community partners. Over an intensive weekend, teams will:

• Receive hands-on training in AI-assisted product development
• Select from pre-defined agricultural challenge criteria
• Build working prototypes using rapid "vibe-coding" methods
• Present demos to judges and community stakeholders
• Compete for cash prizes

The first Vibeathon event³ in Missouri took place November 8-9, 2025, in Joplin, where participants created working technology prototypes addressing local industry problems. The program is expanding statewide with planned events in Springfield, St. Joseph, and now Cape Girardeau.

Vibeathon Cape will be delivered in partnership with the Cape Chamber,⁴ leveraging the strong collaborative relationships showcased at today's SEED Symposium and connecting directly to the region's agricultural innovation needs.

A Panel on AI and Entrepreneurship in Action

Codefi's announcements came during a distinguished panel discussion examining how artificial intelligence is transforming entrepreneurship and creating economic opportunities in regional markets. The SEED Symposium brought together influential voices in small business policy and economic development, including:

• Tom Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Small Business Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• Charles Gascon, Economist and Research Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
• Patrick Westhoff, PhD, Director, Food & Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI)

Dr. Stapleton moderated a panel featuring three founders who shared firsthand experiences leveraging AI to scale their ventures:

• Tim Goree, Co-Founder & CEO of CityCenter.Ai,⁵ discussed how voice AI assistants are helping small businesses compete and grow.
• Adam Davis, Co-Founder and CTO of Vendoor,⁶ shared how his company is using digital tools to improve safety outcomes in the trades and mining industries. Davis's journey from commercial subcontractor to technology founder exemplifies how domain expertise combined with technology can solve critical industry challenges.
• Aaron Smothers, COO of Valiify,⁷ outlined how his company provides technical solutions to financial institutions through core integrations.

Why Southeast Missouri, Why Now

Southeast Missouri stands at a critical juncture. The region possesses deep agricultural expertise, a rich farming heritage, and productive agricultural land that has sustained communities for generations. What has been missing is systematic infrastructure to convert these assets into technology-enabled businesses that create high-wage jobs and attract investment capital.

"Regional economies across America are at an inflection point," Dr. Stapleton noted. "The rise of artificial intelligence, changing workforce dynamics, and new models of entrepreneurship are creating both challenges and unprecedented opportunities for communities willing to adapt and invest in innovation."

The AgTech studio and Vibeathon Cape represent concrete responses to this moment—providing structured pathways for entrepreneurs, farmers, agricultural professionals, and community members to turn their knowledge into viable businesses that strengthen the regional economy while supporting the agricultural sector that remains fundamental to Southeast Missouri's identity.

Codefi's announcement builds on more than a decade of work building Missouri's rural innovation ecosystem. Founded in 2014 in Cape Girardeau, Codefi has since supported over 60 startups that have collectively raised more than $45 million in venture capital raised, trained over 600 individuals in technology careers.

"What we announced today isn't just about two new programs—it's about demonstrating that rural Missouri has the leadership, talent, and vision to thrive in the AI-powered economy," Dr. Stapleton concluded. "Southeast Missouri's participation in the SEED Symposium alongside national economic development leaders reflects the increasing national attention being paid to innovation in regional markets. We're not asking for permission to participate in the innovation economy—we're building it right here."

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About the SEED Symposium

The Southeast Entrepreneurship and Economic Development (SEED) Symposium is hosted by the Cape Chamber and Southeast Missouri State University's Harrison College of Business & Computing.⁸ The symposium unites business and community leaders to examine current and future trends shaping the Southeast Missouri economy.

About Codefi's AI Industry Startup Studios

Codefi operates AI-native Industry Startup Studios⁹ that systematically build technology companies by pairing industry operators who understand real problems with technical builders who can create solutions. Unlike traditional accelerators that work with existing startups, Codefi's studios create new companies from scratch through a disciplined process. The model leverages Codefi's full ecosystem including Traction Studio AI¹⁰ for validation, AI Tech Training for talent development, in-house software development services, and venture philanthropy capital to systematically de-risk early-stage ventures. By focusing on measurable outcomes and real market problems, Codefi's studios turn validation into ventures that create high-quality jobs in rural Missouri communities.

About Vibeathon

Vibeathon.us is Missouri's first AI-native coding hackathon program, designed to accelerate entrepreneurship and build advanced AI coding skills across underserved regions. The program makes sophisticated product development accessible to anyone with an idea through "vibe-coding"—an intuitive, AI-assisted style of programming where participants describe their intent in natural language and let generative AI tools handle the technical implementation. Events combine education, rapid prototyping, and community building, with participants competing for cash prizes. The program is expanding statewide with support from the Missouri Technology Corporation and Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.

Learn more at www.vibeathon.us.

About Codefi

Codefi¹¹ is a nationally recognized technology-based economic development non-profit organization that specializes in deploying an innovation ecosystem in rural and smaller metro regions. The integrated system of programs and tech services produces high-quality jobs by building and attracting software-focused companies, educating and training tech and founder talent, and providing access to pre-seed capital that expands the tech economy and improves the quality of lives, companies, and communities. Codefi is also a co-founder of the Show-Me Network, a statewide network connecting rural entrepreneurs to resources and programs.