The application is structured around the key criteria that 500 Global seeks: Disruptive Vision, Traction/Execution Speed, Global Ambition, and Team Strength.
| Section | Detail |
| Startup Name | DeReticular |
| Website | www.dereticular.com |
| Founder(s) | Michael Noel, Josh Banks, Ash Aly |
| Stage | Pre-Seed / Seed (Functional Product/Ecosystem Proof-of-Concept) |
| Batch Target | Batch 37 (Starts Q1 2026) |
| Investment Asked | $150,000 (Standard Seed Investment) |
| Program Location | Palo Alto, California (In-person Commitment) |
1. Company Elevator Pitch (The Core Idea)
DeReticular is the AI-native operational layer for the next rural economy.
We are an AI-focused research-to-commercialization platform that solves the fundamental challenge of rural connectivity: the lack of a viable business case. We pioneer a self-sustaining model by deploying a community-owned AI Compute Cluster as a high-demand “anchor tenant,” generating immediate global revenue to fund the local advanced broadband infrastructure and power the Rural Infrastructure Operating System (RIOS). Our vision transforms rural communities from recipients of aid into self-sustaining data exporters and AI-native innovation hubs.
2. Problem (The Market Opportunity)
For too long, the digital divide has persisted because building advanced broadband in low-density rural areas is economically unviable for traditional Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The cost of infrastructure outweighs the immediate revenue potential, creating a $100 billion+ market failure that prevents rural America (and global frontier markets like Uganda, as per our blueprint) from participating in the AI economy.
The underlying problem is not technology; it’s the business model.
3. Solution & Product (The Disruptive Technology)
Our solution is an AI-Native “Data Flywheel” economic model, documented as The DeReticular Method.
Product: Rural Infrastructure Operating System (RIOS)
RIOS is a proprietary, AI-native operating system that sits atop the new infrastructure. It provides essential digital municipal services, communications backbone for smart energy grids, and the foundation for next-generation applications like autonomous logistics (Kurb Kars).
The Engine: The AI Compute Cluster
The key to the financial viability is the Community-Owned AI Compute Cluster. We position the cluster in the rural area, using it to provide essential data processing and compute services to the global AI industry (e.g., deep learning, HPC). This continuous, high-margin revenue stream acts as the anchor tenant, which:
- Funds the full infrastructure build-out.
- Dedicates 10% of its capacity to the local community for free, high-speed internet and RIOS-powered services.
This system creates a self-reinforcing loop: Global AI Demand funds Local Infrastructure, which then enables Local Innovation and generates more High-Velocity Data to fuel the entire system.
4. Traction & Execution Speed (The Ecosystem Proof-Point)
DeReticular has already moved beyond the drawing board and is actively building out its “Data Flywheel” ecosystem, serving as a real-world proof-of-concept for RIOS deployment (We are “Eating Our Own Dogfood”):
| Ecosystem Partner | Role in the Flywheel | Traction Implication |
| Agra Dot Energy (www.agra.energy) | Energy: Developed an intelligent microgrid to power the entire ecosystem by converting methane gas waste into clean, renewable fuel (Micro-GTL units). | Proof-Point 1: Solved the clean, distributed power problem. |
| Kurb Kars (www.KurbKars.com) | Data Generation Engine: Built an autonomous logistics network that provides the first source of high-velocity, real-world data (telemetry, route efficiency) required to train the core RIOS AI models. | Proof-Point 2: Validated the capacity to generate clean, proprietary AI training data. |
| Digital Adventures R Us (www.daosrus.com) | Ecosystem Application: An operational entity whose “guests… serve” as another core data source, implying an early-stage hospitality/experience application that leverages and stress-tests the RIOS network. | Proof-Point 3: Demonstrates RIOS’s ability to host and support third-party, local-economy applications. |
| Biz Builder Mike (www.bizbuildermike.com) | Intelligence Architect: Michael Noel’s platform acting as the central nervous system, designing the systems to capture and process all data to ensure the entire operation is AI-native from inception. | Proof-Point 4: A clear, working mechanism for constant, data-driven system improvement and AI model refinement. |
5. Team (The Founder-Market Fit)
DeReticular is a highly synergistic team with a perfect blend of visionary architecture, operational strategy, and funding expertise.
| Team Member | Role at DeReticular | Key Fit/Expertise |
| Michael Noel | Founder, Visionary Architect of RIOS | Systems Architect, W3 & DLT Evangelist, and Rural Economic Innovator. His expertise in systems thinking and decentralization provides the foundational blueprint for a self-sovereign rural economy. |
| Josh Banks | Head of Intelligence and Grant Strategy | The strategic engine for growth, responsible for navigating complex funding landscapes and leveraging data to build evidence-based cases for grants and investments. Critical for non-dilutive and follow-on funding. |
| Ash Aly | Co-Founder (as per prompt; proposed role) | A key resource in Operations and Go-to-Market Strategy, focused on execution and community-level deployment. (A proven operator necessary to complete the C-suite). |
6. Vision and Global Ambition (Why 500 Global)
Our vision is to deploy the RIOS model globally, building a Blueprint for the Next Economy where opportunity is no longer dictated by geography.
- Global Ambition: We have already architected an international expansion strategy, specifically demonstrated by our “Ultimate Leapfrog” and “Blueprint for Building the Future of Ugandan Commerce and Logistics” articles. The model is inherently global—AI compute demand is universal, and the rural infrastructure challenge is a worldwide problem.
- Why 500 Global: We need the experience of the 500 Global network and curriculum to rapidly scale our proven “Data Flywheel” model from a proof-of-concept ecosystem to a replicable, international deployment playbook. We seek to leverage your network of 5,000+ founders and 400+ mentors to secure critical international partnerships and refine our go-to-market strategies for emerging markets. Our team is fully prepared to relocate to Palo Alto for the four-month immersive program to accelerate this mission.
