April 16, 2026

This piece is sponsored by Startup Sioux Falls.

Startup Sioux Falls board member John Meyer asked the founders in the room to stand.

It was at an annual Founders Day event in March — so there were plenty of people who rose.

But then Meyer expanded the invitation — to family members, supporters and anyone connected to the startup community.

Within moments, the entire room was on its feet.

It was a simple exercise, but it captured something bigger: In Sioux Falls, founders aren’t building alone.

That sense of shared investment continues to fuel momentum across the local startup ecosystem — and it’s showing up in measurable ways.

Over the past three years, Startup Sioux Falls has supported nearly 400 founders in launching businesses, while more than 600 individuals have engaged in its co-working community. Activity at its downtown home continues to grow, with daily usage up nearly 50 percent and event bookings increasing more than sevenfold.

Those gains point to a broader shift: Entrepreneurship in Sioux Falls is becoming more connected, more visible and increasingly central to the region’s long-term growth.

A changing economic landscape

Across South Dakota, conversations about the future economy are evolving. Leaders are focused on infrastructure tied to data centers, artificial intelligence, energy resilience and workforce development.

But alongside those investments is a critical question: Who will build the companies that make that infrastructure meaningful?

“Infrastructure without entrepreneurs is empty capacity,” said Brienne Maner, president of Startup Sioux Falls. “And entrepreneurs without infrastructure will leave.”

That dynamic is becoming more apparent as startup ideas grow in ambition. At this year’s Governor’s Giant Vision competition, founders pitched ventures ranging from agricultural automation and carbon capture to cancer therapeutics and advanced materials. The ideas are there — the challenge is turning them into scalable businesses.

“These founders are building economic engines for our community,” Maner said. “Our ecosystem needs to support them.”

In Sioux Falls, the definition of a “startup” is expanding. Innovation is happening not just in tech but across trades, restaurants, child care, retail and service businesses adopting new systems and technologies to scale.

“For many founders, the challenge isn’t a lack of ideas — it’s navigating everything that comes after,” Maner said.

A community effort

That moment of everyone standing on Founders Day reflects a larger truth: Success here is built collectively.

“Entrepreneurship is exciting, but it’s also lonely and uncertain,” said Cindy Peterson, founder of Maximizing Excellence and Startup Sioux Falls board chair. “The difference between surviving and thriving often comes down to the people around you.”

Support from mentors, peers and community champions continues to play a key role in helping founders move forward.

That message was reinforced by Kurt Loudenback, founder and CEO of Grand Prairie Foods, who shared his journey of building a company in Sioux Falls.

He spoke candidly about pivots, setbacks and uncertainty — and the importance of persistence.

Success rarely follows a straight path. Loudenback’s story is a reminder that building something meaningful takes resilience — and a willingness to keep showing up, even when the outcome isn’t clear.

Today, he’s in a position to give back, supporting founders navigating similar challenges.

From starting to sustaining

Startup Sioux Falls has organized its work around a simple framework: start, scale and sustain.

The goal is to support companies that grow, create jobs and remain part of the local economy long term — not just launch.

“Starting is important, but sustaining is what builds generational impact,” Maner said. “Fifth-generation farms don’t happen by accident. Neither do lasting companies.”

As Sioux Falls continues to invest in physical and technological infrastructure, leaders say equal attention must be given to the people building within it.

Founders create jobs, develop solutions and help retain talent — making them central to the region’s economic future.

“The past three years suggest that when a community invests intentionally in entrepreneurs — through space, programming and connection — the results begin to compound,” Maner said. “And increasingly, more people are finding ways to be part of it.”