Reinventing the Heartland: How One City’s Inclusive Approach to Innovation and Growth Can Revive the American Dream

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 out—and that’s 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 Nicholas Lalla founded Tulsa Innovation Labs in January 2020 to help Tulsa, Oklahoma transition from its outdated oil and gas legacy to tech. Lalla's organization would go on to build the first tech-led economic development strategy in northeast Oklahoma’s history, raise over $200 million, and create thousands of tech jobs. This success catalyzed a massive, city-wide endeavor—the 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 Lalla's experience, Reinventing the Heartland lays out a bold and pragmatic plan for urban reinvention, showing innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders how to: Help establish your city's 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.

About the Author :
Nicholas Lalla is an urbanist and social entrepreneur, working at the intersection of economic development and emerging technology. He partners with cities to build strategies and initiatives that catalyze inclusive growth. Lalla founded Tulsa Innovation Labs, an organization deploying over $200 million to build northeast Oklahoma’s innovation economy. He previously led Cyber NYC for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, a cybersecurity initiative The New York Times called "among the nation’s most ambitious . . . " Earlier in his career, at the Urban Land Institute, he launched a national resilience program for cities combatting the effects of climate change. Lalla has written for Newsweek, Fast Company, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Next City, among other outlets. He can be found online at nicholaslalla.com.

Review :
'Reinventing the Heartland arrives at the exact moment when the hierarchy of US cities and metros is being reshuffled by macro forces and mega investments. Lalla's action plan is rooted in new economic realities which, if embraced and amplified, have the potential to transform lives and places.' 'A fascinating story of the bottom-up revival happening in cities across America. Steeped in his own experience in Tulsa's incredible reinvention, Lalla provides THE PLAYBOOK for building a more prosperous and inclusive innovation economy.' 'A gripping read about how to make progress in America. Lalla challenges American cities to work across sectors and harness tech to create good jobs to ensure opportunity extends far and wide. Reinventing the Heartland is essential for anyone interested in inclusive growth in times of rising inequality.' 'An inspirational blueprint for the future of the American Heartland. Lalla's vision for transforming Tulsa into a tech hub offers a fresh, actionable strategy for cities looking to escape the cycle of economic decline. By focusing on inclusive growth and leveraging local strengths, this book shows how communities can create opportunities that benefit everyone.' 'Economic development leaders need to read this book! A post-COVID playbook for inclusive growth, Reinventing the Heartland rings true even for big cities like Chicago which are also working to enhance their tech economies.' 'Get out your highlighter and notepad because Reinventing the Heartland offers an information-packed, clear-eyed, and supremely readable how-to on investing in cities. Lalla's insights on growing a tech-fueled economy make this book essential for planners, civic leaders, and social scientists across the country.' 'Lalla offers an invaluable proof of concept for what it takes to drive strong regional growth. For all those helping to create the quality jobs of the future, Reinventing the Heartland is for you!' 'Nicholas Lalla has written a powerful book--powerful in the way it chronicles Tulsa's journey to modernize its economic base and even more powerful in the way it charts a path forward for other Heartland cities. Reinventing the Heartland represents a critical map to inclusive prosperity across the region where the nation's future will be decided.' 'Technology, demographics, climate change, and globalization are re-ordering our personal lives, but also the competitiveness of cities. Civic leaders need to bring a curiosity, a nimbleness, and an appetite for risk--not simply protect the status quo--if their community is going to thrive. Reinventing the Heartland brilliantly captures these challenges...it is a must read for anyone that cares about the future of their community.'