Tucked away in the mountains and meadows of Western North Carolina—with long distances between communities and limited access to resources—rural founders often struggle to find the mentorship and guidance they need to bring their ideas to life. But a new initiative is changing that—one conversation at a time.

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) program is a bold new pilot, designed to extend Asheville’s thriving startup ecosystem into the more remote parts of the WNC region. Backed by a competitive grant from NC IDEA’s ECOSYSTEM program, the EIR initiative places seasoned mentors directly into rural campuses, small business centers, and entrepreneurial hubs across WNC.

“The EIR program allows rural entrepreneurs to get advice, mentorship, and build a network across a distant and low-density area,” said Jeff Kaplan. “By importing EIRs to rural communities, we can extend the network of Asheville, which serves as the urban core of a rural region.”

These EIRs aren’t just any advisors—they’re battle-tested mentors drawn from Hatch and Venture Asheville, bringing with them a wealth of startup experience and a knack for connecting with entrepreneurs at every level. Their sessions with students and founders are intentionally flexible, tailored to meet each entrepreneur where they are.

But beyond the one-on-one guidance, the EIR program is part of a larger vision to create equity and access in entrepreneurship—particularly for women, minority, and rural founders who have long been underserved by traditional business support systems.

The hope is that by the end of this one-year pilot, over 160 entrepreneurs across the region will have received support through the program—sparking validation, early traction, and most importantly, confidence.

“Success looks like rural founders being empowered to pursue their startup ideas with little to no friction,” said Maui Vang. “When they’re able to connect to the broader network beyond their own town—that’s when we’ll know it’s working.”

Looking ahead, the program’s long-term vision is ambitious but grounded: expand the reach, deepen the impact, and build a model that schools and communities want to invest in for the future.

For now, the message is simple: the mentors are ready—come find them. Whether you’re a student with a spark of an idea, a small-town business owner seeking support, or a college looking to plug into something bigger, the EIR program is here to help you take the next step.