Innovation Challenge
For innovators and organizations with solutions that can help address pressing rural healthcare needs.
Rhode Island’s rural communities face unique challenges, including limited access to care, workforce shortages, transportation barriers, and persistent health disparities. While Rhode Island is the smallest state, rural health disparities affect thousands of residents. Developed by the Office of Primary Care and Rural Health and approved by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to guide administration of the State Offices of Rural Health Program, RI identifies 18 Rhode Island towns as having rural health challenges, including: limited access to providers, transportation barriers, higher rates of chronic disease, reduced access to behavioral health and specialty care
What is it?
How does it work?
Who should apply?
Formally titled Rhode Island Rural Health Innovator Program: Talent, Innovation, Development + Engagement (RI RHIP-TIDE), the Innovation Challenge is designed to bridge rural healthcare needs with promising global innovations, as part of a statewide initiative to improve healthcare access, strengthen the rural healthcare workforce, and move practical innovation into the communities that need it, the
The Challenge will be informed by a comprehensive assessment of rural healthcare challenges, workforce needs and opportunities across Rhode Island rural communities. NEMIC will engage healthcare providers, community organizations, workforce partners, educators, patients, employers and other stakeholders to identify priority areas where innovation can make a meaningful difference.
What is the Innovation Challenge?
As part of this Challenge, companies who are solving issues that are applicable to rural health (ex: patient access, workforce retention, reduced stress, increased workflows, etc.) are encouraged to apply.
Eight companies or teams will be selected to pitch their solutions before an audience of healthcare providers, employers, community leaders, workforce stakeholders and industry experts at the Rural Health Innovation Challenge Pitch Event on Thursday, January 28 at the CIC Providence.
Following the Pitch event, five winning teams will advance into a focused five-month implementation program designed to move their solutions beyond the pitch stage and toward real-world impact. Winners will receive the largest prizes ever awarded in NEMIC’s nearly 10 year history, including $50,000 in cash prizes, $50,000 in expert advisory services, and $37,500 towards LSI Conference attendance, totaling over $150,000 in cash and prizes.
Selected teams will receive:
Technical assistance to advance their solutions
Implementation and planning support
Expert mentorship
Direct access to healthcare stakeholders
Opportunities to engage with rural healthcare providers and community partners · Support focused on translating innovative ideas into practical solutions
The program is specifically designed to advance solutions capable of improving healthcare access, workforce capacity, operational efficiency and patient outcomes in Rhode Island’s rural communities.
How does the Innovation Challenge work?
NEMIC is seeking innovators and organizations with solutions that can help address pressing rural healthcare needs.
Companies, startups, entrepreneurs, healthcare innovators and multidisciplinary teams are encouraged to participate. Priority will be given to solutions and innovators with a clear connection to identified rural healthcare challenges and the ability to contribute to solution development and implementation.
Potential participants may include healthcare technology companies, startups, entrepreneurs, innovators, healthcare organizations, multidisciplinary teams and other organizations with solutions relevant to rural healthcare.
NEMIC will place particular emphasis on solutions that can address challenges experienced directly by rural and underserved communities and that have the potential to create measurable improvements in healthcare delivery and outcomes.
The Challenge will operate in a hybrid format, with the Innovation Challenge cohort beginning February 1, 2027.
Who should apply to the Innovation Challenge?
Applications for the Innovation Challenge (RI RHIP-TIDE) will open October 20, 2026.
[PROGRAM URL]
Questions about the Challenge may be directed to:
Lara Zimmerman
New England Medical Innovation Center
Application Information
This program is part of Rhode Island’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), to improve the health and healthcare services of rural Rhode Islanders. RHTP programs increase access to care, build the health workforce of the future, and modernize health infrastructure technology. For more information on RHTP, visit https://eohhs.ri.gov/initiatives/rural-health-transformation-program.
All you need to know
-
Healthcare Technology Companies
Startups
Entrepreneurs
Innovators
Healthcare Organizations
Multidisciplinary Teams + other Organizations with solutions relevant to rural healthcare
-
The Innovation Challenge cohort will begin February 1, 2027.
-
The Challenge will operate in a hybrid format.
-
Priority will emphasize solutions that can address challenges experienced directly by rural and underserved communities and that have the potential to create measurable improvements in healthcare delivery and outcomes
-
Solutions are not required to originate in RI, provided that they can be implemented in RI and impact the RI community directly.
This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $156,169,931.19 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the US Government.