The Federal Economic Development Administration has awarded a $51 million grant to a tech innovation consortium in Tulsa, led by Tulsa Innovation Labs. The consortium includes universities, tribes, and individual recipients involved in autonomous and AI-related projects. The grant will be used to develop new drone and related technologies and train a workforce around it.
One of the recipients, Black Tech Street, plans to build an AI center of excellence in Greenwood, leveraging support from the grant and an unspecified partner. Tulsa was named a “Tech Hub” by the Biden Administration last year, which helped lead to the competitive grant award. The grant programming will build on Tulsa’s historical expertise in industries such as aerospace, manufacturing, defense, and energy.
The Atlas School, a software training program, intends to expand its offerings to help other recipients of the grant money. This includes building physical infrastructure for testing drones, which will attract companies to create and test these systems and unlock new jobs. Libby Ediger with the Atlas School mentioned the importance of filling the talent gap to ensure these new jobs exist in the city.
Overall, the grant will support the development of innovative technologies in Tulsa and help establish the city as a leader in responsible AI. Tulsa Innovation Labs and its partners aim to leverage the grant to drive economic growth and job creation in the region.
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