Adapting to Win: How Arkansas is Prospering in This Changiest World
“The world is the changiest it has ever been” was a line from a talk by Phil Libin at the Heartland Challenge, a competition for student-led startup companies. Phil is best known as the creator of Evernote, and he now works out of Arkansas. I have been thinking of this statement often over the past few months. Change provides opportunity for those most ready to capitalize on it. I believe Arkansas is ready based, in part, on the investments we have made in university research, workforce development and entrepreneurial support. These investments run the spectrum from the earliest stages of ideation through to scaling a successful company. As someone passionate about the earliest parts of our innovation pipeline, there are several reasons I am optimistic.
Over the past two years, this column has highlighted 18 very different world-class researchers across the state who could, or are already, having an economic impact on the state. In all cases, the focus has been to draw a direct line between research and economic development. The Arkansas Research Alliance (ARA) is, by definition, an economic development organization after all. These stories have ranged from Arkansas’ leadership in areas of quantum science with currently unknown commercial applications to the already available GRAX high performance chain lube that leverages cutting- edge nanotechnology to improve your cycling experience, check it out at Arkansas-based Allied Cycling. We have the research talent, that is without doubt.
Industry also is leaning in on the other end of the spectrum. Arkansas is attracting the attention of business leaders both inside and outside our borders. It is happening across the state. In Northwest Arkansas, the recently held UP.Summit focused on “Transforming the Moving World” and attracted executives from an array of industries — from airlines to energy providers. In Central Arkansas, HealthTech Arkansas is building on its track record of success with the state’s 10 largest hospitals to launch a cardiovascular-focused accelerator [an intensive program to expedite the growth of a company] in partnership with MedAxiom. In northeast Arkansas, Hytrol Conveyor Company is working with Arkansas researchers to deploy advanced coatings into logistics hubs to reduce energy usage and improve working conditions with reduced noise. In the south, the University of Arkansas at Hope is leveraging industry in their successful launch of the state’s first solar energy degree program.
Connecting these efforts is a highly diverse group of 40+ support organizations that are too many to list by name. I would encourage you to utilize the handy Resource Map created by the Conductor (point your favorite search engine at “Arkansas Entrepreneurship Resource Map”). Like our researchers and industry, these organizations span the state and work to ensure that no matter where you live, you are empowered to build something. If you are anything like I was, you may not be aware of all the tools/resources available to you and that entrepreneurship in Arkansas is a viable career opportunity.
If you squint just right, all of this is building towards an exciting future for Arkansas. Change necessitates adaptation, and there is a big difference between adapting to cope and adapting to win. I know ARA is more interested in the latter, so here we are today with the opportunity to keep refining the vision for our favorite state. There is a lot of work to be done and many more stories to tell. We will continue to highlight researchers and how they are setting the stage for the future. I hope that you are willing to share your own stories by reaching out. They say, after all, that storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.
Discovery Economics is a monthly feature highlighting the work of the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows, a community of strategic research leaders who strive to maximize the value of discovery and progress in the state. ARA recruits, retains, and focuses strategic research leaders to enhance the state’s competitiveness in the knowledge economy and the production of job-creating discoveries and innovation. Learn more at ARalliance.org.
