About
Oklahoma Grassroots Rural & Ag Business Accelerators is a collaborative rural development program operated by Oklahoma Farm Bureau in partnership with state and national partners, designed to support agricultural innovation and rural economic development across Oklahoma. The program consists of two distinct tracks—AgCelerate Oklahoma and Activate Oklahoma—each tailored to different stages of entrepreneurial development. AgCelerate Oklahoma focuses specifically on agricultural innovations and on-farm technologies, with a farmer-led and farmer-focused approach where graduating cohorts are selected by panels of Oklahoma farmers and their peers to potentially advance to AgLaunch365 for pre-seed-stage equity investment consideration. Activate Oklahoma serves broader rural innovation ventures and concludes with a Demo Day where founders pitch to a collaborative investment committee comprising the program's network of investment partners. The accelerator accepts applicants with operations, investment, or impact in Oklahoma, with the critical eligibility requirement that ventures be based in communities with populations of 50,000 or less, ensuring focus on genuinely rural markets. In addition to core acceleration tracks, the program operates In the Weeds, a rural development masterclass series designed to help rural entrepreneurs refine their business models, improve investment pitches, and access Oklahoma-based business resources. Applications typically open annually with deadlines in spring, followed by interviews and final cohort selection in May. The program operates without disclosed equity stakes or participation fees, positioning itself as a resource-rich pathway for both established rural business owners seeking to scale and early-stage entrepreneurs launching ventures in rural Oklahoma. Investment partners in the network, including Generation Food Rural Partners (a RBIC-licensed rural investment fund), provide capital access to selected graduates, though specific check sizes and total deployment amounts remain undisclosed. The initiative reflects Oklahoma Farm Bureau's broader mission of economic advocacy for rural communities and agricultural stakeholders.