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THETA stands for Tulsa Hub for Equitable and Trustworthy Autonomy and is the name of the Tulsa region’s Tech Hub.
Our mission is developing, deploying, and manufacturing the next generation of autonomous technologies involving drones, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and other complementary industries; designing, testing, and bringing to market these new technologies to ensure that people can use them without sacrificing safety, security, privacy or public trust.
Currently, this technology is already operational, conducting tasks such as pipeline inspections and swift parcel deliveries.
Examples of automated technologies critical to the U.S. include:
In the future, the widespread adoption of these technologies has the potential to improve public health, increase mobility, lower the cost of manufacturing, protect Americans on the battlefield, and facilitate a cleaner energy transition.
THETA has the potential to transform our region into a tech powerhouse as the primary hub for Secure and Trustworthy Autonomy, meaning the safe and dependable use of autonomous systems. Tulsa will become synonymous with these technologies, and our region will experience rapid economic development and the creation of new jobs and companies through Tech Hubs investment.
A list of official benefits from the designation can be found here.
This investment could bring about $1.6 billion of the $1.4 trillion global autonomous systems market into the local economy and generate nearly 56,000 new jobs over the next decade.
THETA’s intentional focus on equity enables the region to add approximately 20,000 women and 11,000 Black, Latino and Native American people to the region’s workforce in autonomous systems-related occupations, with wages $7,000 higher than the current regional average.
THETA aims to grow jobs in autonomous tech, such as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM). Here are just a few categories we hope to grow:
These jobs span a range of sectors, including:
In line with EDA’s prompt for regions to put forth the technology that is their competitive advantage, we chose to focus on advanced air mobility (AAM)/unmanned aerial systems (UAS). In Tulsa, we have tremendous momentum and commitment to the industry, as seen by Oklahoma State University’s leading reputation for UAS research, the $38.2 million investment made to our AAM ecosystem by the Build Back Better Regional Challenge, and Osage LLC’s Skyway 36 Droneport, which is a budding autonomous flight technology center. Tulsa's passion for and vast knowledge of the aviation sector stems from Tulsa’s rich history in aerospace manufacturing.
Tulsa also has the complementary expertise and facilities that can enable and expedite the widespread adoption of UAS technology. Cyber attacks are a top concern when it comes to these systems, and The University of Tulsa has been designated a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education by the federal government since 2000.
The Greater Tulsa Region is also home to Skyway Range, the nation’s longest beyond visual line of site (BVLOS) testing corridor, which enables startups and other firms to test and commercialize their products here in Tulsa.
THETA will create a suite of workforce development and educational programs, which will help expand competitive job opportunities across the region that are inclusive and accessible to all. THETA will also provide entrepreneurial services and access to new facilities, technologies, and experts for Tulsans interested in developing products or services in emerging technologies. Investment in autonomous systems will also benefit job expansion in related industries, such as manufacturing, finance, and accounting.
We anticipate that THETA’s various projects will help create nearly 56,000 new jobs related to autonomous technologies in the Tulsa region. These will come from new local startups that we will help create and grow, and our focus on testing will create globally unique facilities that will attract new autonomous systems companies to Tulsa to strengthen their operation and manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, we have a manufacturing project in the works, which will help small- and medium-sized manufacturers leverage the technologies and talent they need to enhance their innovative work.
The Greater Tulsa Region is uniquely positioned to drive the development of autonomous solutions and become globally competitive in approximately 10 years.
Tulsa’s advantage can be seen from its geographic location. Testing and certification of these technologies requires the capability to operate in a variety of environments to prove reliability and evaluate performance. Tulsa’s position as an urban hub in a rural environment makes it the ideal place to implement these technologies and reach new milestones.
Additionally, Tulsa is a leader in – and has alignment with – various related industries. The energy, logistics, and agriculture industries are among the largest near-term users of AAM technology for things like last-mile delivery, pipeline infrastructure inspection, and agricultural spraying.
Lastly, Tulsa has a rich history in aerospace manufacturing, with decades of leadership, world-class expertise, and a large, qualified workforce. For example, Tulsa is home to the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) at Oklahoma State University (OSU), a top innovator in UAS. Tulsa will leverage these unique, valuable assets and dedicate them towards advancing AAM/UAS technology.
THETA is committed to working with industry partners to identify their critical needs to enable innovation in autonomous technologies, including workforce, testing, and technology commercialization. THETA’s mission to transform Tulsa into a hub for the development, testing, manufacturing, and deployment of autonomous systems will benefit the Greater Tulsa region, including local businesses.
You can find our full coalition list here.
We expect our coalition will continue to grow and evolve as THETA comes to life.
The Tech Hub designation is a prestigious recognition and an award in and of itself, and the designees receive numerous benefits and assistance from the U.S. Department of Commerce and across the federal government. Regardless of the outcome, Tulsa Innovation Labs and our partners will continue to lead efforts to identify growth opportunities for THETA and pursue additional pathways for funding to advance Tulsa’s proposed projects to cement the Greater Tulsa Region’s position as a leader in autonomous technology.
Members of the steering committee were selected based on several factors, including the scope of their work in advancing Tulsa’s innovation economy and the competitive advantage they bring to strengthening Tulsa’s autonomous technologies industry. We prioritized members who had broad-based interests (e.g., beyond any one program or area, such as a workforce) and indispensable assets like research expertise, facilities, and more.
Tulsa is looking to propel its position as a leading innovator when it comes to autonomous technologies like unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Receiving the Tech Hubs designation validates Tulsa’s meaningful advancements, but also can rally global partners and companies around our bold mission to strengthen and diversify Tulsa’s economy and community. The additional funding we’re seeking as a part of the designation would be used to double down on investments that will create tens of thousands of good jobs, cutting-edge technology, and a thriving workforce based in Tulsa.
The Tech Hubs program was authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act signed into law in August 2022. This economic development initiative, led by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), is designed to drive regional innovation and job creation by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize and deploy technology that will advance American competitiveness. This program invests directly in burgeoning, high-potential U.S. regions and aims to transform them into globally competitive innovation centers.
Affirmation and Endorsement: This designation affirms that American leadership in science and technology is firmly rooted in our region and signifies Tulsa’s leadership in secure and trustworthy autonomy.
Call to Action: This designation is a call to action in our region to secure capital to finance interventions, construct systems, grow collaborative capacity, and build implementer skills.
Applicants submitted their region for the Tech Hub designation and/or a Strategy Development Grant. Tulsa applied for a designation.
Tech Hub designees can apply for up to $75 million in implementation funding from the EDA.
Component Projects: The design of three to eight tightly intertwined component projects, which may be centered around these topics:
Phase 2 requires supporting activities that include:
Additional considerations:
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