Elevate Rapid City was formed in 2019 as a merger of the Rapid City Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Partnership, and Economic Development Foundation (Ascent Innovation).
As the premier western South Dakota economic development organization, Elevate is committed to promoting business and personal advancement through a targeted spotlight on jobs, infrastructure, and overall quality of life in and around the Black Hills region and the Rapid City metro area.
Together, we strive to embrace the heart and soul of our community through diversified growth and strong professional opportunities advocating the strengths of the Black Hills.
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Despite all odds, we’re coasting towards a softer economic landing than anyone predicted.
Elevate Rapid City helped facilitate five ribbon cutting ceremonies for Rapid City area businesses in the month of September. Celebrations ranged from grand openings to expansions in the market.
The David Lust Accelerator Building (DLAB) is a business accelerator in Rapid City that provides office space, resources, and support to startup companies in STEM fields. The building is named after David Lust, a key figure in creating Elevate Rapid City, the organization that runs the DLAB. DLAB offers not just physical space but also mentorship, connections, and programming to help startups grow and thrive in Rapid City's developing innovation hub.
There are countless reasons we could answer "Why Rapid City?" But there's something extra special about when others realize how great a community is. Most recently, Rapid City was named on Livability’s Top 100 Best Places to Live list. Rapid City continues to get recognized as a great community alongside South Dakota's statewide rankings. Check out all of our latest rankings and accolades.
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When Elevate Rapid City was formed in 2018, we promised to deliver results to the Rapid City Region. We met our goals in our first five years. Now, we're chasing after even more. These are the goals we will achieve by 2027. You can see all our work and progress in our annual reports.
January 2023: 75,802 / December 2023: 77,544
2022: $9.47B / 2023: $9.36B
January 2023: $904 / December 2023: $981
2022: $364.6M / 2023: $463.5M