District Panel Notes

The Oklahoma City Innovation District

A Speaker's Foundation

In One Sentence

The Oklahoma City Innovation District exists to intentionally connect research, industry, education, entrepreneurs, and community to create opportunity, strengthen Oklahoma's economy, and build a city where people choose to live, work, and stay.

In Thirty Seconds

The Innovation District is a nonprofit organization focused on bringing together Oklahoma City's research institutions, healthcare systems, universities, entrepreneurs, corporations, and community partners to accelerate innovation and economic development. Rather than operating independently, these organizations are intentionally connected through shared programming, partnerships, and places like Innovation Hall to help Oklahoma City grow stronger together.

In Three Minutes

When people hear "Innovation District," they often assume it's just a neighborhood or another development project. In reality, it's much more than that.

Oklahoma City already had world-class research institutions, nationally recognized healthcare organizations, entrepreneurs, universities, and growing technology industries. What it didn't have was an organization dedicated to connecting those assets in a meaningful way.

The Innovation District exists to bring those people together.

Sometimes that means introducing a startup founder to a researcher.

Sometimes it means helping a student discover a career in biotechnology or aerospace.

Sometimes it means hosting conversations that bring together industries that might never have crossed paths otherwise.

Innovation rarely happens in isolation. It happens when people with different experiences solve problems together.

Our role is to create those opportunities.

Ultimately, success isn't measured by how many events we host or how many people walk through Innovation Hall. Success is measured by stronger partnerships, new companies, better career opportunities, and helping make Oklahoma City a place where talented people choose to stay and build their future.

What We Are

The Oklahoma City Innovation District is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Oklahoma City's innovation economy by increasing collaboration between research, industry, education, entrepreneurship, and community.

Our work supports industries including:

- Bioscience

- Aerospace & Aviation

- Healthcare

- Energy

- Advanced Manufacturing

- Technology

- Entrepreneurship

The District is centered within approximately 1.3 square miles east of downtown Oklahoma City, home to many of the state's leading research institutions and innovation assets.

Why We Exist

Our mission isn't simply to market innovation.

Our mission is to create an environment where innovation is more likely to happen.

That means creating opportunities for people to meet, collaborate, share ideas, and solve problems together.

What Makes Us Different

Many people associate districts with restaurants, shopping, nightlife, or entertainment.

The Innovation District serves a different purpose.

Our storefronts look different.

Instead of restaurants and boutiques, our district is home to:

• Research laboratories

• Hospitals

• Universities

• Entrepreneurs

• Startups

• Scientists

• Engineers

• Innovation Hall

Our work happens behind the scenes, but its impact reaches throughout Oklahoma.

The Story of the Innovation District

Why Did Oklahoma City Need an Innovation District?

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Innovation District is that it was created because Oklahoma City lacked innovation.

The opposite is true.

Oklahoma City already had remarkable institutions conducting world-class research, advancing healthcare, growing new companies, and educating future innovators.

Organizations like Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, O.U Health, Research Park, Wheeler Bio, and many others had already established Oklahoma City as an emerging center for innovation.

The challenge wasn't innovation.

The challenge was connection.

Like many cities, these organizations often operated independently, despite being located within walking distance of one another.

The Innovation District was created to intentionally connect those assets.

It provided a shared identity, a shared vision, and a neutral space where collaboration could happen more naturally.

As Jesse McCool of Wheeler Bio described it:

"The Innovation District is like Switzerland. It is a neutral place where collaboration can take place."

That idea continues to shape the District today.

Why Here?

The Innovation District wasn't placed here by accident.

It grew from one of the highest concentrations of research, healthcare, education, and innovation assets in Oklahoma.

The district already possessed the ingredients needed for innovation.

The opportunity was to strengthen the relationships between them.

Why Collaboration Matters

Innovation is rarely created by one person or one organization.

Breakthroughs happen when different perspectives come together.

Researchers.

Entrepreneurs.

Students.

Investors.

Corporate leaders.

Government.

Community organizations.

The Innovation District exists to create those intersections.

Innovation Hall's Purpose

Innovation Hall was never intended to simply be another event venue.

It was envisioned as a central gathering place where Oklahoma City's innovation economy could come together.

Every event, meeting, networking opportunity, and partnership hosted there serves the same purpose:

Creating opportunities for collaboration.

The Bigger Vision

The Innovation District ultimately exists to help Oklahoma become a place where people don't feel like they have to leave to pursue opportunity.

Its work supports a city where people can:

Learn.

Build careers.

Start companies.

Conduct research.

Raise families.

Contribute to Oklahoma's future.

The goal is not simply to grow the Innovation District.

The goal is to strengthen Oklahoma City and create lasting economic opportunity across the state.

Favorite Lines From These Pages

These are the ones I'd actually use tomorrow:

"Oklahoma City didn't need more innovation. It needed more intentional collaboration."

"Innovation rarely happens in isolation."

"Our storefronts just look different."

"The Innovation District didn't create innovation. It connected it."

"Innovation Hall isn't just a building. It's where relationships begin."

"Research changes the world when it leaves the lab and reaches the community." (This is more of an interpretive line than an official O.K.C.I.D statement, but I think it captures the spirit of your work well.)

"The Innovation District is building more than projects. It's building reasons for people to stay in Oklahoma."

Oklahoma City Innovation District

Speaker Study Guide

Essential Conversations | August 11, 2026

Understanding the Innovation District

If I Forget Everything Else Tomorrow...

Remember these three ideas.

1. The Innovation District didn't create innovation.

It connected it.

One of the biggest misconceptions about the Innovation District is that Oklahoma City needed innovation.

The truth is, Oklahoma City already had it.

Before the Innovation District existed, organizations like the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, O.U Health, Research Park, Wheeler Bio, universities, and countless entrepreneurs were already doing incredible work. The research was happening. Companies were growing.

Healthcare was advancing. Innovation wasn't missing.

What was missing was intentional collaboration.

The Innovation District was created to strengthen the relationships between those organizations and create more opportunities for researchers, entrepreneurs, students, investors, healthcare leaders, educators, and businesses to work together.

That's why I love Jesse McCool's quote from Wheeler Bio:

"The Innovation District is like Switzerland. It's a neutral place where collaboration can take place."

That might be the simplest way to explain what we do.

We don't own innovation.

We create the conditions where innovation happens more often.

2. Our work is about people.

People hear words like "innovation" and picture laboratories, technology, patents, and research.

Those things matter.

But innovation has always been about people.

A scientist meeting an entrepreneur.

A student discovering a career path.

A founder meeting an investor.

A university collaborating with industry.

Innovation happens because people who normally wouldn't meet finally do.

That's why Innovation Hall exists.

That's why we host programs.

That's why we bring organizations together.

The event isn't the outcome.

The relationship is.

3. Every district has a different purpose.

One thing I never want to do on this panel is compare districts as if one is more important than another.

The Plaza District creates community through art, local businesses, restaurants, entertainment, and culture.

The Innovation District creates community through research, healthcare, entrepreneurship, education, and economic development.

Those aren't competing missions.

They're complementary.

Every great city needs places where people enjoy life.

Every great city also needs places where people build the future.

Oklahoma City has both.

Quick Hits

If I get stuck...

Come back to one of these.

• Oklahoma City didn't need more innovation. It needed more intentional collaboration.

• Innovation happens because people connect.

• Innovation Hall isn't our product. Collaboration is.

• Events are what people see. Relationships are what we're really building.

• Our storefronts just look different.

• The goal isn't a stronger Innovation District.

The goal is a stronger Oklahoma City.

Lines I'd Like To Use

"Innovation rarely happens in isolation."

"Our storefronts just look different."

"Innovation Hall gives collaboration a home."

"The Innovation District isn't just building projects. It's building reasons for people to stay."

What I Want People To Understand About The Innovation District

The One-Minute Answer

If someone asked me what the Innovation District is while we were standing in line for coffee, I'd probably say this:

"The Innovation District is really about connection. Oklahoma City already had incredible researchers, hospitals, entrepreneurs, universities, startups, and industry leaders. What the Innovation District does is intentionally bring those people together so ideas move faster, partnerships form more naturally, and more opportunities are created for Oklahoma. We're helping create a city where someone can learn, build a career, start a company, and hopefully never feel like they have to leave to find opportunity."

The Three-Minute Answer

When people hear "Innovation District," they often picture a neighborhood or a development project.

In reality, it's much more than that.

It's an economic development strategy built around one simple idea:

Innovation accelerates when people connect.

Oklahoma City already had one of the state's highest concentrations of research institutions, healthcare systems, entrepreneurs, universities, and growing technology companies.

Rather than allowing those organizations to continue operating independently, the Innovation District was created to intentionally strengthen the relationships between them.

That's what we spend our time doing.

Sometimes that's hosting a Tech Talk where people from different industries exchange ideas.

Sometimes it's introducing a founder to someone who can help grow their company.

Sometimes it's giving a student their first exposure to careers in bioscience or aerospace through Innovation Week.

Sometimes it's simply providing a neutral place where organizations that may not normally sit around the same table can have a conversation.

Innovation doesn't happen because a building exists.

It happens because people find each other.

That's really how I think about the Innovation District.

What Makes Us Different

The Innovation District isn't designed to be Oklahoma City's entertainment district.

It isn't built around restaurants or nightlife.

Our storefronts look different.

Instead of boutiques and coffee shops, you'll find research labs, hospitals, startups, universities, scientists, engineers, and Innovation Hall.

Our work often happens behind the scenes.

But its impact reaches far beyond our district.

The companies that grow here create jobs across Oklahoma.

The students inspired here become tomorrow's workforce.

The research happening here improves lives well beyond our city limits.

Things I Hope The Audience Takes Away

The Innovation District isn't just a place.

It's a strategy.

It's a connector.

It's an invitation for collaboration.

It's a long-term investment in Oklahoma City's future.

Quick Hits

Remember

• Don't define the District. Explain why it matters.

• Talk about people before organizations.

• Relationships greater than Events

• Outcomes greater than Programs

• Collaboration greater than Competition

Favorite Closing Line

"The Innovation District isn't the hero of the story. The people inside it are."

Opening / Background

(Questions 1 & 2)

Question

Can each of you briefly introduce yourselves and share how you got into this role?

What They're Really Asking

Who are you?

Why should we listen to you?

My Main Point

I'm a storyteller who found his way into economic development because I love building community.

My Answer

"I'm London Olawumi, the Marketing Specialist with the Oklahoma City Innovation District.

My background is actually in journalism, English, and sociology, so I've always been fascinated by people and the stories that bring communities together. Over the years I found myself working in marketing, but I realized pretty quickly that what I enjoyed wasn't just creating content. It was creating connections.

That's really what brought me to the Innovation District.

Today I have the opportunity to tell the stories of researchers, entrepreneurs, startups, educators, healthcare organizations, and community partners who are doing incredible work across Oklahoma City. I also get to help create spaces where those people can meet each other, collaborate, and hopefully build something bigger together.

Every day looks a little different, but that's probably my favorite part of the job."

Things I'd Naturally Mention

Moved to Oklahoma.

Didn't know how collaborative O.K.C was.

Pleasantly surprised.

Fell in love with the people more than the buildings.

Favorite Line

"I came here because of a job. I stayed because of the people."

(I actually think that's a London line.)

Short Version

"My background is in storytelling, and today I get to tell Oklahoma City's innovation story while helping bring together the people building its future."

Question

Was this something you always saw yourself doing, or did you grow into district leadership over time?

What They're Really Asking

Did you plan this career?

My Main Point

No.

But looking back...

Every step prepared me for this one.

My Answer

"Definitely not.

If you had told me ten years ago that I'd be talking about economic development and innovation districts, I probably wouldn't have believed you.

But looking back, every job I've had has involved bringing people together in some way.

Whether it was communications, community outreach, emceeing events, volunteering, or marketing, the common thread has always been connecting people.

That's why this role feels like such a natural fit.

I still get to tell stories, but now those stories have a real impact on how people see Oklahoma City and the opportunities that exist here."

Nice Transition

"And honestly, I think that's one of the reasons I enjoy this work so much. Every day I get to learn from people who are much smarter than I am."

(Humble.

Gets a laugh.)

What Districts Are

(Questions 3 & 4)

Question

For people who may not think about districts every day, how would you describe what a district actually does?

What They're Really Asking

What makes a district more than just another neighborhood?

My Main Point

A district gives a place a shared identity and purpose.

My Answer

"I think a district is really a community organized around a shared identity.

Obviously there's a geographic boundary, but I don't think that's what makes a district special.

What makes it special is that people know what that place represents.

The Plaza District immediately makes you think about local businesses, public art, restaurants, and creativity.

The Innovation District makes you think about research, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and technology.

Districts help people understand the story a neighborhood is trying to tell.

They also make collaboration easier because organizations begin thinking of themselves as part of something bigger than just their individual business."

Story

Talk about walking into Innovation Hall.

It isn't impressive because it's a building.

It's impressive because of who's inside.

Favorite Line

"A district isn't just a place on a map. It's a place with a purpose."

Another Line

"Identity creates community, and community creates momentum."

Question

Have we always had districts in Oklahoma City, or is this a newer way of shaping the city?

My Main Point

The neighborhoods have always been here.

The strategy is newer.

My Answer

"I think Oklahoma City has always had neighborhoods with really unique personalities.

What's changed is we've become much more intentional about recognizing those identities and investing in them.

The Innovation District is a great example.

The research institutions didn't suddenly appear.

O.U Health didn't suddenly appear.

O.M.R.F didn't suddenly appear.

Those organizations had been doing incredible work for decades.

What the Innovation District did was give those assets a shared identity and create more opportunities for them to collaborate.

That's really what districts do.

They don't invent identity.

They amplify it."

Favorite Line

"The Innovation District didn't invent innovation. It simply gave it a place to work together."

If Someone Pushes Further

"Cities across the country have realized that when you intentionally connect universities, hospitals, entrepreneurs, and industry, innovation accelerates. Oklahoma City already had those ingredients. The Innovation District was created to bring them together."

My Favorite Observation

This isn't something you memorize.

It's something you remember.

"The Plaza District gives people reasons to spend a Saturday afternoon there. The Innovation District gives people reasons to build a career there. Both are incredibly important to the future of Oklahoma City."

I genuinely think that's one of the strongest comparisons we've come up with because it doesn't diminish the Plaza at all. It celebrates what makes each district valuable in a way that's easy for the audience to understand.

One thing I'd add that sounds very "London"

If Brenna asks, "What is a district?" I almost hope you don't start with a definition.

Start with an observation:

"You know, I don't think most people wake up thinking about districts. They just know how a place makes them feel."

Then continue:

"When you hear 'Plaza District,' something immediately comes to mind. When you hear 'Innovation District,' we're trying to create that same kind of identity, just through research, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and collaboration."

That's the kind of opening that makes people lean in because it feels conversational instead of textbook. I think it's much closer to how you naturally speak.

What's Your Favorite Event?

My Answer

"That's a tough one because they all serve different purposes, but if I had to choose, it'd probably be Innovation Week.

Every year we bring more than a thousand middle school students together to meet engineers, scientists, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across Oklahoma.

What I love about it is that you can actually see perspectives change in real time. A student walks in thinking science isn't for them, then spends the day flying drones, coding robots, or talking with researchers, and suddenly that career feels possible.

We spend a lot of time talking about workforce development, but that's what it really looks like. It's helping a young person see themselves in a career they didn't even know existed."

One-Liner

"Innovation Week is where tomorrow's workforce meets today's innovators."

What Are You Most Proud Of?

My Answer

"Honestly, I'm proud of the moments nobody really sees.

It's not necessarily the event itself.

It's watching two organizations exchange contact information after a panel.

It's seeing a student ask their first question to a scientist.

It's watching someone attend one of our networking events and leave with a new mentor or business opportunity.

Those are difficult things to measure, but I think they're some of the most meaningful outcomes of what we do."

One-Liner

"I'm proud of the relationships that exist today because we helped bring people into the same room."

Why Should Taxpayers Care About the Innovation District?

My Answer

"Because economic development affects all of us.

When companies choose to grow here, that creates jobs.

When students stay in Oklahoma after graduation instead of leaving, that's good for our workforce.

When research becomes a new business or a new medical breakthrough, that has ripple effects across the entire state.

Even if someone never attends one of our events, they still benefit from living in a city that's attracting investment, creating opportunity, and strengthening key industries.

That's really what we're working toward."

One-Liner

"A stronger innovation economy creates opportunities that extend far beyond the Innovation District."

What Excites You the Most?

My Answer

"The people.

Every week I get to meet researchers solving difficult problems, founders building companies, students trying to figure out their future, and organizations that genuinely want to work together.

Oklahoma has this collaborative spirit that's hard to describe until you've experienced it.

I think that's what excites me the most. People here genuinely want one another to succeed."

One-Liner

"Innovation is exciting. The people behind it are even more exciting."

Stories I Can Tell

These don't need to be perfectly polished. They're reminders.

Innovation Week

Story

"I remember watching students walk into Innovation Week not knowing what to expect. By the end of the day, they were asking professionals how to get into engineering, aerospace, healthcare, and biotechnology."

Point

Exposure changes lives.

Tech Talks

Story

"I love hanging around after the panel is over. That's usually where the real event begins. You see speakers continuing conversations, attendees introducing themselves, and people making connections they probably wouldn't have made otherwise."

Point

The panel isn't the outcome.

The conversations afterward are.

Bio Week

Story

"One thing Bio Week has reminded me is how much bioscience is already happening in Oklahoma that most people simply don't know about."

Point

Sometimes our job is helping people discover what's already here.

Innovation Hall

Story

"There are days you can walk through Innovation Hall and see entrepreneurs, university leaders, nonprofit organizations, researchers, and corporate executives all sharing the same space."

Point

That's what the building was built for.

Not events.

Collaboration.

P.R Council

Story

"I've watched organizations openly share ideas, contacts, and opportunities with one another. In a lot of places those groups might compete. Here they collaborate."

Point

That's one of Oklahoma City's biggest strengths.

Transition Lines

If Rachel answers first...

"I really liked something Rachel said..."

"I think that's actually where our districts complement one another."

"I'd build on that..."

"I think we approach that differently, but we're ultimately trying to accomplish the same thing."

"I completely agree, and I'd probably add..."

If you answer first...

"I'm curious to hear Rachel's perspective because I imagine this looks very different in the Plaza District."

"I think Rachel probably experiences this in a different way."

Final Thoughts

If Brenna Says

"Any final thoughts?"

I'd say:

"I hope one thing people take away today is that districts aren't competing with one another. They're each trying to make Oklahoma City stronger in their own way.

The Plaza District creates spaces where people gather around art, local businesses, restaurants, and culture.

The Innovation District creates opportunities through research, education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and collaboration.

They're different missions, but they point toward the same goal.

I think Oklahoma City's greatest strength isn't that we have great districts. It's that those districts work together to tell one bigger story about who we are as a city."

Things I Believe

This might actually be the most important page in your handbook.

If I don't know the answer...

Come back to one of these.

Community is built intentionally.

Great communities don't happen by accident.

Someone opens the door.

Someone makes the introduction.

Someone creates the opportunity.

Innovation belongs to everyone.

Innovation isn't reserved for scientists.

Teachers innovate.

Entrepreneurs innovate.

Students innovate.

Artists innovate.

Cities innovate.

Relationships create opportunity.

Every partnership starts with a conversation.

Every company starts with an idea.

Every career starts with one opportunity.

Oklahoma's greatest competitive advantage is collaboration.

We have a unique ability to bring together leaders from business, research, government, education, and nonprofits.

That's special.

Great cities are built by people investing in one another.

Buildings matter.

Infrastructure matters.

But people build cities.

The Innovation District is successful when people no longer need us to make the introduction.

That's one I came up with while reading everything you've shared.

Think about it.

The highest compliment to your work is when two organizations keep working together years later because they first met at something you hosted.

That's impact.

Not attendance.

One thing I want to leave you with

I've worked through a lot of your writing over the past year—Leadership O.K.C, Bio Week, Tech Talks, Innovation Week, press releases, emails, even your resume.

There's one consistent thread:

You don't actually care about marketing.

You care about belonging.

That's why you gravitate toward community, Rotary, Big Brothers Big Sisters, hosting baseball games, P.R Council, Innovation Hall, and student events. You like being the person who helps people feel like they're part of something bigger.

I think if that comes through tomorrow, you'll answer questions differently than most economic development professionals. They'll talk about districts.

You'll talk about people.

And ironically, that's probably the most accurate way to explain what the Innovation District actually does.

You have reached the end of the document.