Welcome to Curated Morning. A compendium of news, information, and stories that economic development professionals, community development leaders and elected officials read every week to stay in touch with what is happening in our economy.

The Main Thing:

Happy Anniversary to You!

Yes, if you are a regular reader of Curated Morning, the first thing I want to say is Happy Anniversary and THANK YOU!

Thank you for being a regular reader and engaging with me on this passion of mine. This issue marks the four-year anniversary of this newsletter, which I have managed to sustain every week during that time, with only a two or three-week hiatus (usually around holidays) when it didn't go out.

This endeavor is one of the things I do regularly that I continue to do without even thinking about it. It has become part of my regular weekly routine. Sometimes doing something every week becomes burdensome; however, for me, it's gotten to the point where I have the system down so that it doesn’t feel like an obstacle. In fact, I am usually two to three weeks ahead in writing these newsletters.

Why this Newsletter?

My inspiration for this newsletter stems from a quote attributed to Steve Jobs, combined with a practice I adopted while actively leading economic development organizations. The practice was to ensure, budget allowing, that I attended a seminar or conference outside the realm of economic development each year. Rather than going to one more site location consultant event (which was important, don't get me wrong), I would attend a conference about robotics, AI, Futurists, or something in which a dotted line could be made between the subject and economic development.

I felt that to be effective at my job, it was important to understand what was happening in the marketplace above and beyond the standard line of thinking (e.g., site consultants, IEDC). I wanted to be in a constant state of learning.

Doing so might prompt me to consider how my community could benefit from new technology or emerging trends in the marketplace beyond reading the latest BLS data sheet or Federal Reserve email.

Steve Jobs once said something to the effect of, “Apple designs and creates products people don't know they need." We never knew we needed the iPod or smartphones (funny name for the product, as it seems to be making some of us dumber) until we had them.

Curated Morning is designed to give you information you didn't know you needed (along with some site consultant stuff). Hopefully, it's not making you dumber.

The goal of this newsletter is to provide you with information and ideas you can use to become more effective at what you do. Providing authentic leadership, innovation, creativity, and thinking outside the proverbial box is my challenge to you and hope

Please keep reading, and I hope that I can help you become more knowledgeable.

P.S. I am running a campaign to get 150 more subscribers by the end of the year. There are ‘goodies’ for those people who participate. Go here to get started.

Buy me a Beer or Coffee

This newsletter has always been free and will likely remain that way in the foreseeable future.

However, producing it comes with some expense. The platform fees and subscriptions add up.

If you enjoy this newsletter, how about "buying" me a cup of coffee or a beer?

Don't send me a Starbucks card, just go to this link and buy me one. It helps me defray the costs of sending out this newsletter, and it's a nice thing for you to do.

Next time I see you, I will buy you one too! Coffee or a beer, it's your choice.

"Buy" me a Beer or Coffee!

Focus On the Green Economy

Climate Tech's Reality Check: How Policy Shifts Are Separating Winners from Wishful Thinking

The climate technology sector is experiencing a sobering recalibration as Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" reshapes the investment landscape. While overall funding dropped 19% in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024, mega-deals actually increased by 31%, suggesting investors are becoming more selective and demanding stronger fundamentals from startups.

Early-stage companies are particularly feeling the squeeze, with seed funding down 26% and Series A rounds declining 12%. The policy changes have created a mixed environment where some tax credits remain intact while others expire, forcing companies to prove profitability rather than relying solely on government incentives.

Why This Matters: Economic developers should view this shift as an opportunity to attract higher-quality climate tech companies to their communities. With investors now prioritizing proven business models over policy-dependent ventures, your region can compete more effectively by offering strong business fundamentals rather than just generous incentive packages. The trend toward regional incentives filling federal gaps means state and local programs carry more weight than ever before.

Take Action: Develop incentive packages that reward companies with demonstrated unit economics and clear paths to profitability rather than just job creation promises. Create partnerships with local utilities and energy providers to offer competitive rates and renewable energy access that climate tech companies increasingly value. Consider creating climate tech incubators or accelerators that emphasize business model validation alongside technology development, positioning your community as a destination for sustainable, profitable climate companies rather than speculative ventures.

Read How Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ is affecting climate tech investment by Jake Mitchell | Trellis

Ford's $2 Billion Bet: How Revolutionary Manufacturing Could Remake Auto Production

Ford is betting big on a manufacturing revolution that could transform electric vehicle production as dramatically as the Model T transformed early automotive manufacturing. The automaker unveiled its "Ford Universal EV Production System" along with plans for a $30,000 midsize electric truck launching in 2027. Backed by a nearly $2 billion investment in its Louisville Assembly Plant, the investment will secure 2,200 hourly jobs. The new system promises to reduce the number of parts needed for each vehicle and speed assembly by 15% through innovations. This, as Ford struggles with EV profitability, and expects to lose over $5 billion on electric vehicles this year despite the urgent need to compete in an increasingly crowded market.

Why This Matters: Ford's investment demonstrates that companies are willing to make massive capital commitments to communities that can support advanced manufacturing processes, but these facilities require different workforce skills, infrastructure capabilities, and supplier ecosystems than traditional automotive plants. Communities positioned to support this next generation of manufacturing will capture disproportionate investment as the automotive industry continues its electric transformation.

Take Action: Engage with local community colleges and technical schools to create curricula aligned with next-generation automotive manufacturing needs. Inventory your existing automotive supplier base and identify gaps in EV component manufacturing that could attract new businesses. Create relationships with automotive OEMs and tier-one suppliers to understand their future facility needs and manufacturing requirements. Consider establishing innovation zones or manufacturing incubators focused on automotive technology to position your community as a hub for manufacturing innovation rather than just traditional production.

Read Ford touts EV strategy with new plans for truck, next-gen manufacturing by Jordyn Grzelewski | Tech Brew

Beyond Green Ribbon Cutting: How Smart Cities Turn Trees and Rain Gardens Into Economic Assets.

Cities worldwide are discovering that nature-based solutions like urban forests, bioswales, and restored wetlands aren't just environmental feel-good projects—they're sophisticated infrastructure investments that require the same strategic planning, financing, and governance as traditional economic development initiatives. A comprehensive new analysis reveals how successful cities are moving beyond one-off tree plantings to create self-sustaining green infrastructure systems through innovative funding mechanisms like endowments, targeted taxes, and private partnerships. Pittsburgh's voter-approved park tax generates $10 million annually, and cities are proving that nature-based solutions can attract private investment, create specialized jobs, and generate measurable economic returns while addressing climate risks like flooding and extreme heat.

Why This Matters: Economic developers should recognize nature-based solutions as infrastructure investments that can differentiate their communities in site selection processes and quality of life rankings. Companies increasingly factor climate resilience, sustainability credentials, and employee wellness amenities into location decisions, making green infrastructure a competitive advantage rather than just an environmental nice-to-have. Communities that master these elements can attract green economy businesses, create specialized green jobs, and build resilience that protects existing economic assets from climate disruption.

Take Action: Audit your community's existing green infrastructure and identify opportunities to brand it as an economic asset in site selection materials and quality of life messaging. Develop partnerships between your economic development office and parks, utilities, and environmental departments to create integrated approaches to green infrastructure that serve both economic and ecological goals. Consider developing green infrastructure requirements or incentives for new developments that can create ongoing funding streams for maintenance and expansion.

Read How to maintain nature-based solutions in your city. By C40 Knowledge

Something You Should Read:

Something You Should Read:

Four years ago, when I started this newsletter, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) was just a gleam in the eye of some tech founder. Today, it is approaching the speed of light. The implications of AGI are not something you can afford to ignore as an economic developer. The time to understand and adapt is now.

Your job as an economic development professional could be at stake. I cringe when someone I work with or a consultant describes a behavior or process as "this is the way we have always done it." AGI will "wipe the smile off that face" very quickly.

To the extent my aging brain allows, I follow the developments occurring in AGI and where this is all heading. Some are doomsayers, warning of the day AGI transforms into "Super AGI." When this happens, they say the human race will cease to function, exist or both. They say Super AGI will be more intelligent than humans and process information in ways we can't comprehend.

So, if we can't comprehend this tipping point, how will we know when it has happened? Just a bit of AI-induced existentialism to ponder.

Is all we can do just watch and hope for the best? I'm not even comfortable with that statement. However, we can take control by staying informed about developments and understanding how these transformations are unfolding. I am committed to providing you with these insights to empower you in this journey.

In support of the statement above, I have developed a document that takes four 'futures' oriented prompts, designed to stimulate strategic thinking about potential AGI impacts, and creates some scenarios regarding economic development and its future as AGI impacts it.

I have not altered or changed any of the results, except for some formatting and a few minor punctuation issues. This document is not a statement of my beliefs, but is an interesting exercise in using prompts to explore how AGI might impact our industry. I have yet to fully explore all of the implications of the results, which I may do in the future.

Please read it and feel free to contact me with any questions or thoughts you might have regarding it.

Note: I want to acknowledge the "God of Prompt" for the prompts I used in this effort. I subscribe to their newsletter, and they have many good ideas and prompts to consider. Copy and paste the prompts in the document to examine your own unique situation, or modify them to make it better. That is the beauty of prompts. You could use an industry cluster with which you work and see how AGI might impact it.

I used Claude 4.0 for this exercise, but I have yet to consider results from some of the other popular platforms, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity, all of which are excellent tools.

You can download the document here.

Overheard:

“If we develop an adversarial relationship with AI systems now, then they might respond in kind later on, either because they learned this behavior from us, or because they want to pay us back for our past behavior.”

—Jeff Sebo, the director of NYU’s Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy, to The Guardian about the “moral benefit to humans in treating AIs well.”

The Rabbit Hole:

How to write a prompt

I am not an expert on writing prompts, but the more I do it, the more I am interested in the details and intricacies of how to do it effectively. I subscribe to a few AI newsletters that have been helpful, and I have developed some excellent documents and brainstorming ideas that would have taken much longer to create (btw, I am not using AI to write this).

I came across a video from a user conference that provides a detailed description of how to write effective prompts. The folks at Claude, a tool I use most often, produced the video.

If you want to learn more about prompt writing—the key to effective AI use—watch the video here.

Stargazing

The one thing I miss about living in the country in upstate New York is the dark skies. Most nights on the property, you could barely see your hand in front of your face if you went out in the middle of the night. If you sat there for about fifteen minutes, it seemed like the stars would be multiplying, when in fact it was your eyes adjusting to the light or lack thereof.

Today, living in the city, with streetlights and a glaring floodlight from the grade school next door, gives me little to look at except for the brightest stars in the sky.

I suppose all I have to do is go to one of the places listed in this article. Many of the places listed in the article have been designated "dark sky reserves." So if you want to see a whole bunch of stars and realize how minute and tiny a role we play in the universe, go to one of these places.

Of the five listed, I have only been to Sedona, Arizona, on my way to the Grand Canyon, and that was during the day. The only thing I saw was 'Places to Get My Future Read' and pink Jeep rentals. I have to go at night.

Find your favorite stargazing location by reading this article.

Recycling via Pedal Power

Recycling has been around for a long time. There have been a myriad versions of recycling programs wherever I have lived, some good and some questionable. An economic development opportunity was revealed when I was able to peek behind the recycling curtain and see that not everything gets recycled.

Recycling in Northampton, Massachusetts, is partially conducted by a company called Pedal People. They go around on bicycles hauling lightweight trailers that can carry up to 300 pounds. The goal is to provide recycling services, reduce landfill waste, and reduce pollution from large trucks that typically carry our waste.

The documentary linked below provides an overview of a typical day with one of the employees who is also an owner. The employee-owner cooperative orgainzation of the company means that everyone is involved in the decision-making. Get this: the average pay is $32 an hour.

It seems like an odd thing to do, collecting garbage on bicycle-led trailers, but Ben Jankowski, one of the employee-owners, summed it up best: "We get to ride bikes all day."

Check out the mini-documentary here.

Calling all Consultants

I have been where you are: Suggesting or recommending a strategy, but with no real tool to get your client to the promised land. What do you do?

I have a solution to at least one recommendation you have been suggesting. You know, the one that says, "Provide a nurturing and positive environment to existing businesses to inspire innovation, creativity, and growth." That one.

Here is the solution: If you are a consultant working with small businesses or with economic development agencies, I have an opportunity for you. It's called the Circles of Seven Affiliates Program, or C7 Affiliates.

I've designed a program to bring the C7 program to your clients and communities in which you work and consult.

C7 is a peer-to-peer small business mentoring program that transforms a post-startup business from a chrysalis to a butterfly. It saves EDOs' time and money by nurturing existing businesses and developing amazing, transformational relationships.

If you are unfamiliar with C7, you can go here.

Take the first steps towards being a C7 Affiliate by clicking here. There is absolutely no obligation.

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Let's work together!

With over three decades of experience in economic development, public administration, and small business, I can now bring my expertise to benefit you. What are the issues facing your community? What obstacles are you facing in growing your business? Let's work on this together.

While I am experienced in a wide variety of sectors and issues, here is where my interests lie, and thus where I can benefit you most:

Organizational and Leadership Development -- Culture assessment, culture shifts, board and leadership development, mentoring, coaching, strategic planning, innovation, economic development education, and strategic foresight. Click here to schedule a conversation about how we can collaborate on this topic.
Small Business Ecosystems -- Start-up environment assessments and benchmarking, scaled peer-to-peer mentoring systems (C7), Incubation, and small business ecosystems design. Click here to schedule a conversation about how we can collaborate on this topic.
Personal Transformation -- Transformative personal coaching, training, and education in high-level productivity concepts of Flow, Grit, Resiliency, and leadership. Additionally, leadership masterminds cater to both new leaders and wise elders. Click here to schedule a conversation about how we can collaborate on this topic.

If you have any thoughts or comments regarding any articles in this newsletter please feel free to contact me through email at martin@martinkarlconsulting.com.

You can review my services and offerings at www.martinkarlconsulting.com

Four Years of Reading Curated Morning (#208) September 18th, 2025