9781400249022_

The story of one citys efforts to reinvent itself in the heartland is a powerful example of the change America needs.

In January of 2019, Nicholas Lalla made his first visit to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to consider working on an economic development project he had been invited to lead. Listening to Tulsans talk about racism, poverty, and trauma, the need for redevelopment, and the citys broader desire to change economic course inspired him to accept the role and found Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL). In Reinventing the Heartland, Lalla shows how cities that have been left out of the innovation system can grow their own vibrant tech ecosystems while at the same time building a more inclusive and equitable economy.

Over the course of four years, TIL built the first tech-led economic development strategy in Tulsas history and raised 215 million in capital that it is now in the process of deploying through multiple initiatives. This success has spurred new investments and is helping the city transition from its oil and gas legacy to tech. This now stands as a massive, city-wide endeavorthe first time in American history a city has dedicated itself in such a concerted way to becoming a player in the innovation economy. This multi-pronged approach is explained through the context of Tulsa, but other citiesdomestic and abroadare explored as well, proving that Tulsa is not an outlier, but a leader.

Reinventing the Heartland lays out a bold and pragmatic plan for achieving this kind of vision for any city. Each chapter covers a core plank of the action plan, which, in turn, engages timely and complicated issues affecting broad swaths of American societyfrom the evolving role of higher education to how to bridge the urban-rural divide to the increasingly problematic role of billionaires in cities. It engages timely issues affecting American society at largefrom the pros and cons of remote work to the evolving role of higher education to the political consequences of the urban-rural divide. Lalla provides the path forward for America, not just in Tulsa, but across the Heartland and in any city ready to embrace the future.

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The story of one Heartland citys efforts to reinvent itself for the innovation age is a powerful example of the change America needs.

Every city in America wants to become a tech hub, yet so few succeedand thats the problem. Tech jobs, venture capital, and R&D are concentrated in a handful of big coastal cities, while the broad middle of the country is left out. But to thrive in the twenty-first century, cities must create innovation economies of their own and grow in more inclusive ways. In January 2020, Nicholas Lalla founded Tulsa Innovation Labs to help Tulsa, Oklahoma transition from its oil and gas legacy to tech. Lallas organization would go on to build the first tech-led economic development strategy in northeast Oklahomas history, raise over 200 million, and create thousands of tech jobs. This success catalyzed a massive, city-wide endeavorthe first time in American history a city has dedicated itself in such a concerted way to becoming a player in the innovation economy.

Drawing upon Lallas experience in Tulsa, Reinventing the Heartland lays out a bold and pragmatic plan for urban reinvention, showing cities how to reorient their entire civic ecosystems toward inclusive tech-led growth. Each chapter covers a core plank of the action planfrom how cities can establish their own tech niche based on existing assets to how they can rapidly up-skill talent in the era of AI to how to build urban-rural partnerships and compete for federal funding as a region. In Reinventing the Heartland, Lalla provides the path forward, not just for Tulsa, but for any city ready to embrace the future.

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A blueprint for the bottom-up revival that is so sorely needed in cities across America.

To thrive in this day and age, cities must create innovation economies of their own. Tech jobs, venture capital, and R&D are concentrated in a handful of big coastal cities, while the broad middle of the country is left outand thats a problem.

Nicholas Lalla founded Tulsa Innovation Labs in January 2020 to help Tulsa, Oklahoma transition from its outdated oil and gas legacy to tech. Lallas organization would go on to build the first tech-led economic development strategy in northeast Oklahomas history, raise over 200 million, and create thousands of tech jobs. This success catalyzed a massive, city-wide endeavorthe first time in American history a city has dedicated itself in such a concerted way to becoming a player in the innovation economy.

Drawing upon Lallas experience, Reinventing the Heartland lays out a bold and pragmatic plan for urban reinvention, showing innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders how to:

Help establish your citys tech-identity based on existing assets to inspire local growth.
Build an environment of innovation and healthy inclusivity.
Rapidly up-skill talent in the era of AI.
Fuel a future of positive change, growth, and urban-rural partnership.

Each chapter covers a core plank of the action plan, with powerful examples of the kinds of changes American cities need. In Reinventing the Heartland, Lalla provides the path forward for any city ready to embrace the future.

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Reinventing the Heartland

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