A new technological revolution is upon us, and the heartland is leading the way. 

Technologies such as autonomous systems like self-driving cars, drones, and robotics are transforming the way America moves, delivers, and builds things. Evidenced by a rapidly growing market expected to top $114 billion by 2030, the widespread adoption of these technologies is impacting everything from transportation to medical care and business operations. 

While these technology adoptions have positively impacted Americans, such as the beginning of drone deliveries from large retailers, the increasing proliferation of these systems presents a growing threat to international commerce at home and abroad. The potential negative impact of nefarious drone use is underscored by recent wartime events that put 30% of global container traffic under threat (though not from drone use).

The United States is also largely dependent on foreign production of these technologies and their components, presenting a “significant risk” to critical infrastructure. Without concerted federal investment, the country is in danger of falling behind other nations in developing these significant, innovative technologies.

A move away from the East Coast 

Enter the heartland. The U.S.’s geography of innovation is shifting from the coasts to states like Ohio, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma, driven by a three-fold increase in venture capital investment over the last decade. Coupled with the heartland’s continued manufacturing excellence, the region is poised to lead the next phase in the evolution of modern technology.

To stimulate this growth, the federal government is deploying new tools and programs to spur technological innovation in historically underestimated regions. The goal of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Tech Hubs Program is to reassert U.S. leadership in the technologies of the future while reshoring supply chains critical to national security.

The heartland is emerging as a confluence of these trends, as validated by the region’s recent dominance in the Tech Hubs Program. These states, as defined by Heartland Forward, account for 13 of the 31 Tech Hub designations, receiving recognition from the federal government for the potential to cement U.S. leadership in their chosen technology areas.

Tulsa’s autonomous efforts

To advance the U.S.’s autonomous technologies future, Tulsa, Oklahoma—one of the recent Tech Hub designees—is home to leading applied research assets, such as the LaunchPad Center for Advanced Air Mobility at Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute at the University of Tulsa, which are pioneering technologies at the forefront of autonomy and driving them toward commercialization. 

The heartland is also known for innovating, with a lengthy history of excellence in aerospace manufacturing. In Tulsa, our regional and indigenous industry partners, such as Cherokee Nation Businesses, are spearheading the reshoring of critical unmanned aircraft system (UAS) supply chains while reinvesting in America’s small- and medium-size manufacturers.

Community involvement 

Focusing on technology alone, however, is insufficient. The next generation of innovations must be intentionally built with communities that have traditionally been excluded from the technology economy. That is why economic development organizations like Tulsa Innovation Labs have partnered with entities such as Osage LLC to develop these technologies in geographic proximity to tribal assets, driving new industrial activity and ultimately expanding economic prosperity for tribal citizens through job creation and workforce development.

To achieve these important goals, growth-minded regions must embrace their regional assets to address global challenges. Concerted federal investment presents a unique opportunity for communities like Denver and Kansas City, both of which are also Tech Hub designees, to join Tulsa and other regions driving the future of American competitiveness and national security.

The U.S. is not far from a future where drones crisscross the sky and delivery vans drive themselves in communities across the country. Don’t be surprised when those systems are stamped “Tested and Made in Tulsa, USA.”

Jennifer Hankins is managing director of Tulsa Innovation Labs.