Rural Health Living Lab: Bridging the Frontier & Silicon Valley
​📍 Venture Dock — Palo Alto
đź—“ Friday, May 1
🕝 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
​About the Event
​Most healthcare technology is built for ideal conditions—modern hospitals, stable infrastructure, and dense urban systems. But what happens when those assumptions disappear?
​On May 1st, we’re bringing a different lens to Venture Dock.
​Hosted by AI Aide, Inc. and Strong Solutions, LLP, this interdisciplinary session connects Silicon Valley builders with real-world challenges from the Alaskan frontier—where solutions aren’t theoretical, they either work or they don’t.
​You’ll hear directly from Charles, a former LEND fellow and Kodiak native, who brings firsthand experience navigating healthcare in one of the most demanding environments in the U.S. He’s not here as a patient—but as a partner in building solutions that actually function where infrastructure is limited and access is a challenge.
​This session is about moving beyond “innovation theater” and into building tools that serve the 1 in 5 Alaskans living with disabilities—especially in regions where traditional healthcare systems fall short.
​We’ll also explore how to support and scale initiatives like the $2.7M+ Rural Health Transformation Fund, and what it takes to design truly deployable, “ruggedized” AI solutions.
​What We’ll Cover
​Why healthcare tech often fails in rural and frontier environments
​How to design and build solutions that work beyond urban systems
​Bridging clinical insight with engineering, product, and AI
​Opportunities to engage with and support the Rural Health Transformation Fund
​Rethinking healthcare delivery in underserved regions
​Who Should Join
​Founders building in healthtech, AI, or infrastructure
​Engineers and product leaders focused on real-world applications
​Researchers and clinicians working in accessibility or rural care
​Investors exploring frontier markets and impact-driven innovation
​Anyone interested in building technology that works beyond Silicon Valley
​Why This Matters
​Most products are built for controlled environments.
Very few are built for reality.
​This session challenges how we design, build, and deploy—especially in places where constraints are not edge cases, but the norm.
​About the Hosts
​AI Aide, Inc. and Strong Solutions, LLP operate at the intersection of healthcare, AI, and real-world deployment—focused on building solutions for complex, underserved environments. TPH Ventures , a healthcare AI focussed venture studio that co-runs the rural health incubator with Strong Solutions.
​This session is led by Jon Strong, a Venture Dock member working on applied innovation in rural healthcare and AI.
​About Venture Dock
​Venture Dock is a founder-first hub and fund headquartered in Palo Alto, with an additional location in Milpitas. Built by entrepreneurs and investors, it connects startups with capital, customers, and real ecosystem access.
​Through investor roundtables, founder sessions, and vertical programs (including cybersecurity and global expansion), Venture Dock brings together builders, operators, and investors working on real-world problems.