Patterson Fellows launches as an extension of its founder’s entrepreneurial foundation

A new fellowship for selected founders is designed to identify, support, and accelerate high-impact entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to challenges faced in rural communities — backed by a $300,000 investment in each entrepreneur over three years by the Patterson Family Foundation.

The Patterson Fellows Program is expected to provide entrepreneurs with a comprehensive three-year fellowship focused on helping them build sustainable, scalable businesses that strengthen rural prosperity and improve quality of life throughout rural communities across the foundation’s 119-county catchment area, said Maria Flynn, CEO of the Patterson Family Foundation.

Maria Flynn, Patterson Family Foundation

“Rural communities are filled with opportunity, innovation, and talent,” she explained. “The Patterson Fellows Program empowers visionary entrepreneurs who are creating meaningful solutions that help rural communities thrive today and for generations to come.”

Click here to apply or learn more about the program. The deadline to apply is Aug. 23.

The fellowship combines the entrepreneurial legacy of Cerner’s co-founder and longtime CEO Neal Patterson with the rural mission adopted by the Patterson Family Foundation in 2019. Patterson and his wife, Jeanne Lillig-Patterson, both passed away in 2017 after having established the family-led philanthropy a decade earlier.

Technologies and innovative ideas of the most interest will address gaps and solutions to the following areas: agriculture and environment, health, housing, connected commerce, and systems change.

Each year, the foundation will select a cohort of five Fellows and invest $100,000 in each, annually for three years, totaling $300,000 each. In addition to the financial support, the Patterson Fellows will receive:

• Curriculum featuring quarterly learning modules, peer roundtables, and leadership development opportunities
• Guidance from experienced mentors, industry experts, and seasoned board members
• Introductions to investors, ecosystem partners, and corporate leaders
• Grant-writing support for company applications
• Storytelling and brand-building assistance
• Access to the foundation’s network of consultants, data resources, and ongoing learnings

Jill Meyer, Patterson Family Foundation

The program is open to entrepreneurs located anywhere in the U.S. whose businesses are focused on addressing challenges within rural communities within the foundation’s catchment.

“We are thrilled to launch the Patterson Fellows Program and support cutting-edge innovations that address the systemic challenges facing rural communities,” said Jill Meyer, senior director of entrepreneurship at the Patterson Family Foundation. “I look forward to learning about the technologies, ideas, and solutions being developed by visionary leaders who are committed to making a meaningful difference.”