This week on the What is the future for cities? podcast, two episodes examined how mid-sized cities can harness economic shifts for stronger futures. Tuesday’s research episode summarised the 2021 article “The economy forward framework: How midsized cities can achieve inclusive growth in the knowledge economy” by Richard Florida, Ross DeVol, Cordell Carter, Jennifer Hankins, and Nicholas Lalla. It outlined a strategy for heartland cities to build knowledge-based economies, using metrics to track progress. This prepared for Thursday’s interview with Nicholas Lalla, urbanist and author of Reinventing the Heartland, who discussed tech-led economic power, accountability, and bold transitions amid national challenges.

Decentralization from coastal hubs offers mid-sized cities like Tulsa chances to lead in innovation. The research stressed moving beyond outdated metrics to focus on dynamic growth, while Lalla highlighted risks of stagnation without strategic action. His experiences in Tulsa showed how targeted investments can spark economic vitality, blending research strengths with private capital.

From these episodes, five key lessons emerge on boosting economic power in mid-sized cities through innovation and structured planning.

Lesson 1: Mid-sized cities must shift to knowledge economies to compete in a decentralized landscape

The research episode detailed the “great reset,” where post-COVID trends push talent and firms from high-cost coastal hubs to heartland areas. Mid-sized cities, defined as metro areas of 750,000 to 1.5 million people, face automation risks in traditional industries but hold untapped potential. The framework defines knowledge economies as relying on intellectual capabilities over physical inputs, spanning fields like data science, healthcare, and design.

Lalla built on this in his interview, warning of “Rust Belt” repeats if cities like Tulsa cling to legacy sectors like oil. He described Tulsa’s pivot to niches like energy tech and cyber analytics, leveraging local assets for high-wage jobs. Both emphasised young firm metrics – employment ratios and knowledge intensity – as predictors of dynamism. This lesson stresses proactive adaptation: cities must invest in R&D and startups to attract capital, fostering organic growth that counters brain drain and builds long-term economic resilience.

Lesson 2: New metrics beyond jobs and wages are crucial for tracking real economic progress

Traditional indicators like job counts or average wages fall short in capturing innovation-driven growth. The research introduced the Economy Forward Framework with nine metrics across industry, accessibility, and vibrancy. For industry, it tracks knowledge job shares, young firm employment, and R&D spending to gauge future potential, not just current stability.

Lalla reinforced this by critiquing short-term thinking, urging cities to measure systemic impacts like talent retention and ecosystem strength. In Tulsa, metrics guided $465 million investments in parks and tech programs, showing vibrancy’s role in attracting firms. Both highlighted graduate retention as a key vibrancy metric, revealing if local education translates to economic staying power. This lesson highlights the need for agile, forward-looking metrics: they enable cities to spot weaknesses early, adjust strategies, and demonstrate ROI to investors, turning economic planning into a precise, data-backed engine for power.

Lesson 3: Bold investments in local assets create catalytic economic change

Mid-sized cities often undervalue their strengths, but the research showcased Tulsa’s use of historical assets – like oil expertise for energy tech – to fuel transitions. The George Kaiser Family Foundation’s $465 million Gathering Place park exemplified “quality of place” investments, drawing talent and sparking a $200 million innovation ecosystem.

Lalla’s interview detailed his Tulsa Innovation Labs role, raising funds from state, federal, and private sources for targeted sectors like advanced aerial mobility. He stressed avoiding “temporary islands of excellence,” advocating sustained, cross-sector efforts to widen opportunities. Both noted Tulsa’s flywheel effect: initial investments in research and startups create self-reinforcing growth. This lesson underscores leveraging unique assets with ambitious capital: it transforms stability into dynamism, positioning cities as competitive players in global knowledge flows and amplifying economic output.

Lesson 4: Cross-sector partnerships are vital to scale innovation and economic impact

Siloed efforts hinder progress, as the research noted lower young firm metrics in heartland cities due to fragmented ecosystems. It called for coalitions blending universities, firms, and philanthropy to build innovation flywheels, where research fuels startups and talent.

Lalla expanded this, describing Tulsa’s public-private-academic model: universities provide R&D, firms invest, and civic groups coordinate. He critiqued zero-sum mindsets, urging core competency focus for collaborative strength. His Cyber NYC experience showed partnerships deploying $200 million for cybersecurity hubs, creating jobs and economic multipliers. Both emphasised accountability in these alliances to ensure measurable outcomes. This lesson reveals partnerships as economic accelerators: they pool resources for scale, turning local innovations into regional powerhouses and sustaining growth amid national uncertainties.

Lesson 5: Accountability cultures drive sustained economic transformation

Without oversight, initiatives falter. The research’s metrics enable tracking, allowing mid-sized cities to adapt strategies based on real data, like R&D impacts on firm creation.

Lalla stressed a “culture of accountability” in his interview, vital for philanthropy-driven efforts like Tulsa’s. He advocated quantifiable goals and transparent monitoring to align sectors, preventing complacency. Drawing from Tulsa’s tech pivot, he noted how accountability widens economic gains, fostering urgency and bold action. Both highlighted risks of inaction – like brain drain – urging metrics to hold leaders responsible. This lesson positions accountability as an economic force: it ensures investments yield returns, building trust and momentum for ongoing innovation, ultimately empowering cities to shape prosperous futures.

This week’s podcast episodes on the What is the future for cities? podcast delved into mid-sized cities’ economic transitions. The research episode (347R) offered metrics for knowledge-based growth in heartland areas like Tulsa. It emphasised industry innovation, accessibility, and vibrancy to measure progress beyond traditional indicators. Thursday’s interview (348I) with Nicholas Lalla, author of Reinventing the Heartland, explored tech-led economic power, accountability, and bold strategies amid national challenges.

Five key lessons emerged: First, cities must pivot to knowledge economies, leveraging local strengths like Tulsa’s energy tech for high-wage jobs. Second, advanced metrics track young firms and R&D to gauge future dynamism. Third, targeted investments in assets, such as Tulsa’s $465 million park, spark catalytic change. Fourth, cross-sector partnerships scale innovation, pooling resources for ecosystem strength. Fifth, accountability cultures ensure sustained impact, using quantifiable goals to drive performance.

Mid-sized cities can build economic resilience through strategic planning and collaboration, turning laboratories of innovation into thriving hubs.

Let’s find those niches for the better future of our mid-sized cities and quality of life in those places!

Next week we are investigating superabundant energy and the urban energy matrix with a panel conversation, involving Alan Pears, Adam Dorr, Ramez Naam, and Mark Nelson!

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