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Nicholas Lalla is an urbanist and social entrepreneur specializing in economic development and emerging technology. He founded Tulsa Innovation Labs, deploying over $200 million to build northeast Oklahoma's innovation economy. Previously, Nicholas led Cyber NYC for the New York City Economic Development Corporation, a cybersecurity initiative recognized as "among the nation's most ambitious" by The New York Times. He is also the author of Reinventing the Heartland, which lays out a bold and pragmatic plan for urban reinvention, showing cities how to reorient their entire civic ecosystems toward inclusive tech-led growth. In this episode… Many mid-sized American cities struggle to reinvent themselves in a rapidly evolving economy, often clinging to legacy industries while missing out on the opportunities of the tech sector. As traditional economic engines falter, communities risk job losses, brain drain, and long-term stagnation. But how can cities without established tech hubs create thriving innovation ecos