Thinkspace

Introducing ThinkSpace

Where Purpose Meets Possibility in Rural Healthcare

If you're an entrepreneur passionate about solving healthcare's toughest challenges, you know that rural communities face unique barriers that can't be addressed with one-size-fits-all solutions. At Quality Insights Thinkspace, we believe you have the power to create the next generation of healthcare breakthroughs—not from distant tech hubs, but by building where it's hardest and most important.

We're a comprehensive innovation engine ready to help you accelerate innovative, scalable solutions that directly address the urgent health needs of rural and underserved communities. Whether you're at the spark of an idea or ready to scale an existing solution, we have a pathway designed for your journey.

Ready to build where it matters most?

Where Flexibility Is Built In

Three Pathways, One Mission

No matter where you are in your innovation journey, we meet you. From raw healthcare challenges to scaling proven solutions, ThinkSpace provides the tailored support, resources, and community connections you need to succeed. Select from three tracks:

Incubator Track: Spark Your Idea

Perfect for: Early-stage innovators with healthcare challenges or raw concepts

Transform your healthcare challenge into a validated opportunity. Get micro-grants up to $10K, expert mentorship, and structured problem discovery to build your concept from the ground up.

Your Journey: Problem validation → Prototype development → Concept readiness | Time: 3-6 months | Support: Micro-grants, mentorship, design sprints

Accelerator Track: Scale Your Solution

Perfect for: Startups with validated MVPs ready for growth

Fast-track your investment readiness through our intensive 8-12 week program. Connect with pilot partners from our extensive rural health network and get direct access to investors.

Your Journey: Market validation → Pilot partnerships → Investment readiness | Time: 8-12 weeks | Support: Pilot sites, investor introductions, business development

Venture Studio: Build What's Missing

Perfect for: High-impact market gaps requiring dedicated resources

When rural communities need solutions that don't exist, we build them. Our venture studio co-creates companies from identified opportunities, providing founding teams, seed capital ($50K-$200K+), and shared infrastructure.

Your Journey: Opportunity identification → Team formation → Company launch | Support: Seed funding, dedicated teams, operational infrastructure

Bridging the Gap

Why Rural Health Innovation Matters

Rural health isn't just a social imperative—it's one of healthcare's most compelling and underserved market opportunities. With critical gaps in care delivery, billions in market potential, and unprecedented policy support driving innovation, rural communities represent the intersection of meaningful impact and substantial returns for forward-thinking entrepreneurs and investors.

Critical Market Need Rural Americans face higher rates of chronic disease, lower life expectancy, and significant barriers to basic care. These communities are often overlooked by traditional healthcare innovation.

$230+ Billion Market Rural health represents a massive market opportunity with pressing needs in virtual care, workforce solutions, behavioral health, and chronic disease management.

Policy Tailwinds Federal and state incentives, value-based care initiatives, and increased rural health infrastructure funding create an opportunity-rich environment.

Your Ideal Partner

Why Thinkspace is Different

What makes us your ideal partner is our deep commitment to community-centered innovation and real-world impact. When you join Thinkspace, you'll co-develop your solutions with rural communities, ensuring your innovations actually work within the realities of limited resources and geographic isolation.

With Quality Insights' decades-long legacy in healthcare quality improvement behind you, you'll gain access to the mentorship, resources, and community connections you need to create solutions that generate lasting returns for both you and the communities you serve.

Deep Rural Healthcare Expertise Built on Quality Insights' decades of healthcare quality improvement work, with direct access to rural providers, patients, and payers.

Innovation Data Lake Comprehensive rural health data, cost transparency insights, and market intelligence to guide your solution development.

Community-First Co-Creation Every solution is developed with the communities it serves, ensuring real-world applicability and adoption.

Complete Capital Ladder From micro-grants to seed investments, we provide funding at every stage of your innovation journey.

Nonprofit Mission, Venture Mindset Trusted nonprofit that thinks like a venture studio: outcome-focused, data-informed, and committed to scale.

Self-Sustaining Ecosystem Our graduates become mentors, investors, and partners, creating a flywheel effect of continuous rural health innovation.

"We're not just building another tech incubator—we're proving that the most transformative healthcare innovations happen when you start with the communities that need them most. Rural communities aren't our testing ground; they are our inspiration and our partner in creating solutions that actually work where healthcare is hardest to deliver."

Sven T. Berg, MD, MPHQuality Insights CEO

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you're an entrepreneur with a vision for rural healthcare innovation or an investor looking to make meaningful impact, you likely have questions about how Thinkspace works. Here are answers to the most common questions we hear about our mission, investment approach, and what makes us different in the healthcare innovation space.

What is Thinkspace?

Thinkspace is a comprehensive innovation engine focused on developing healthcare solutions specifically for rural communities. We offer three connected tracks—Incubator, Accelerator, and Venture Studio—that meet entrepreneurs exactly where they are in their journey, from initial idea to scaled enterprise.

What types of companies do you work with?

We work with innovators at every stage: early-stage entrepreneurs with healthcare challenges (Incubator), startups with validated MVPs ready for growth (Accelerator), and we also build companies from scratch when market gaps exist (Venture Studio). All solutions must address rural health challenges and be co-developed with rural communities.

How is your investment approach different?

We require deep community engagement and prioritize solutions that work within rural realities like limited broadband and provider shortages. Our investments are structured to align economic returns with measurable rural health improvements. Investment varies by track—from grants in the Incubator to equity partnerships in the Accelerator and Venture Studio.

What stage companies do you invest in?

We work across all early stages: raw ideas (Incubator), validated MVPs with early traction (Accelerator), and we create new ventures from identified market gaps (Venture Studio). Companies can progress through multiple tracks as they grow.

What kind of support do you provide?

Support varies by track but includes mentorship on regulatory navigation, rural market adoption, community co-creation training, pilot site connections, investor introductions, and in our Venture Studio, dedicated teams and operational infrastructure. All participants receive guidance on human-centered design and realistic implementation for rural settings.

Why focus specifically on rural communities?

Rural communities face unique challenges including geographical isolation, high chronic disease rates, and significant underinvestment in healthcare innovation. These communities need purpose-built solutions, not just urban technologies adapted for rural use. This represents both a massive market opportunity and a critical social need.

How do I get started?

Contact our team to discuss your innovation and learn more about which track might be the best fit. We'll work with you to understand your goals and provide you with the appropriate application materials and next steps.

What's the time commitment for each track?

Incubator: 3-6 months, part-time engagement with intensive design sprints
Accelerator: 8-12 weeks intensive programming with ongoing support
Venture Studio: Full-time commitment as we co-create and launch your company

Do I need to be located in a rural area? While we prioritize rural-focused solutions, participants can be based anywhere. However, all solutions must be designed for and validated with rural communities through our community partnership network.

Let's Build Something Together

Ready to create healthcare solutions that truly matter? Whether you're an entrepreneur with a groundbreaking idea, an investor seeking meaningful impact, or a healthcare leader looking to drive change in rural communities, Thinkspace is here to help you turn vision into reality.

For Entrepreneurs. Transform your healthcare innovation from concept to market-ready solution through our three-track system designed specifically for rural health challenges.

For Investors & Partners. Join our mission to transform rural health while generating meaningful returns. Our portfolio addresses billion-dollar market opportunities with proven community impact and clear pathways to scale.
For Healthcare Organizations. Become a pilot partner and get early access to breakthrough solutions designed specifically for your rural health challenges while contributing to the innovation ecosystem.

The communities that need innovation most are waiting—and we're ready to help you reach them.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can partner to transform rural health, one breakthrough at a time.

Transforming Rural Health Through Innovation