Rural Tech Catalyst Fund (RTCF)
Louisiana is building the nation’s leading rural health innovation ecosystem by connecting healthcare, technology, investment, and economic development to improve outcomes for rural communities.
The RTCF is led by Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), a division of Louisiana Economic Development (LED), in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).
More than 1.1 million Louisianans live in rural communities. The RTCF is focused on helping deploy scalable solutions that address real-world healthcare challenges while creating long-term economic opportunity throughout the state.
The RTCF aims to support innovative companies, entrepreneurs, and healthcare providers and organizations working to strengthen workforce capacity and improve healthcare access, delivery, outcomes and sustainability across rural Louisiana.
What We’re Building
The RTCF is designed to:
- Accelerate rural healthcare innovation
- Support deployment of healthcare technology solutions
- Strengthen healthcare workforce capacity
- Expand partnerships between providers, startups, and investors
- Create opportunities for companies to pilot and scale in Louisiana
- Improve healthcare access, quality, and sustainability in rural communities
Why Louisiana
Louisiana is uniquely positioned to lead rural healthcare innovation.
Through Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), the state has built a growing startup and investment ecosystem focused on attracting and scaling high-growth companies solving major industry challenges.
In 2025:
- Louisiana startups received more than $50 million in investment
- Capital deployment increased 100% year-over-year
- Public investment helped attract significant private-sector participation
Louisiana offers:
- Real-world rural deployment environments
- Strong healthcare and public-sector partnerships
- Access to providers and community stakeholders
- Growing investor and innovation networks
- Statewide collaboration across healthcare and economic development
We are building an environment where companies can launch, validate, and scale solutions that improve rural healthcare outcomes.
Why Now
The Louisiana Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a multi-year initiative led by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) to improve access, quality, sustainability, and innovation across rural healthcare systems statewide. Through strategic investments in workforce development, value-based care, healthcare infrastructure, telehealth, interoperability, emergency medical services, and rural health innovation, RHTP seeks to strengthen rural providers, improve health outcomes, reduce disparities, and create sustainable models of care for Louisiana’s rural communities. The program brings together healthcare providers, community organizations, technology partners, educational institutions, and state agencies through a coordinated whole-of-government approach to transform rural healthcare delivery across the state.
This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $208,374,447.57, with 100 percent of funding provided 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 U.S. Government.
- Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease
- Access to Timely and High-Quality Healthcare
- Addressing Workforce Shortages in Rural Louisiana
Who Should Engage
We are interested in connecting with:
- Health technology startups
- Rural healthcare innovators
- Investors and venture partners
- Healthcare providers and systems
- Universities and research institutions
- Community and rural health organizations
- Strategic partners focused on healthcare transformation
Successful applicants must align with primary eligibility pillars.
- Local Health Impact. The company must improve health outcomes for residents in Louisiana.
- Technical Readiness. The company must be able to deploy a product or service in 180 days.
- Commitment to Partnership. Companies are expected to create partnerships within the Louisiana healthcare ecosystem and champion the program.
Key Federal Requirements
- The company has been in operation for less than 10 years
- The company has raised less than $50m
- The company is a U.S.-based entity
Download the Application Guide here.
Stay Connected
Interested in RTCF developments? Sign up for updates:
Together, we are building the future of rural healthcare innovation in Louisiana.