The Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab is part of the broader Greenwood AI Center of Excellence, an initiative supported through the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Tech Hubs program following Tulsa's designation in 2024 as a Federal Tech Hub for leadership in autonomous systems.
Tulsa's Tech Hubs coalition, led by Tulsa Innovation Labs, received $51 million in federal funding to help establish the region as a national center for advanced autonomy technologies, including drones, robotics, and intelligent mobility systems. Within that investment, $10.6 million was allocated to the Greenwood AI Center of Excellence, which anchors the artificial intelligence component of Tulsa's Tech Hub strategy.
Designed and operated by Black Tech Street in partnership with Microsoft and SeedAI, the Greenwood AI Center of Excellence combines workforce development, education, and applied technology innovation to help organizations and communities better understand, adopt, and build with artificial intelligence technologies.
The initiative includes two primary components:
ASPIRE (AI Societal Program for Innovation, Research, and Education) — focused on expanding AI fluency, workforce development, and technology education.
Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab — a collaborative environment where organizations can work alongside Microsoft engineers and technology leaders to develop AI-powered solutions to real-world challenges.
The Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab hosts Microsoft engineers and researchers and provides access to advanced Microsoft AI and cybersecurity technologies. Initial work at the lab focuses on four strategic areas:
- Startups and enterprise innovation
- Critical infrastructure security
- Autonomous systems
- Responsible AI development
"This grand opening represents a culmination of years of work and collaboration of several different partners. The GEM building is precious to the Greenwood community, so for Black Tech Street HQ and this Microsoft Lab to be housed in it, across from the Middle School I attended and be focused on making this community a leader in the most impactful technology in human history, AI, means more than I can put into words.
The United States will need a model to look for how to catalyze impactful and community focused AI innovation as it looks to lead the world on this new frontier. Tulsa looks forward to being that example."
Tyrance Billingsley II, Founder and CEO, Black Tech Street + Greenwood AI Center of Excellence
"The Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab represents an opportunity to bring together founders, researchers, technologists, and community partners to responsibly develop and deploy technologies that can create real-world impact — from helping startups scale and strengthening critical infrastructure resilience to advancing world-class AI and cybersecurity innovation.
This moment in technology is moving incredibly quickly, and Microsoft believes it is important that innovation be paired with security, trust, and broad opportunity. We are proud to work alongside Black Tech Street, Tulsa Innovation Labs, and an exceptional group of partners to help build a model for how communities can harness emerging technologies to empower people and organizations to achieve more."
Michael Salazar, General Manager, Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab, Microsoft
As part of the lab's launch, we are also announcing initial collaboration plans with Lumen Technologies focused on exploring applied artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, infrastructure resilience, and community engagement initiatives through the lab.
A longstanding Microsoft partner and major technology and communications employer in the Tulsa region, Lumen Technologies represents an early example of the collaborative ecosystem the lab is designed to support as engagement expands across startups, research institutions, public-sector organizations, infrastructure providers, and other technology stakeholders exploring real-world applications of next-generation technologies.
"The AI era will be defined not just by the technology, but by the communities that shape how it's built and used. As The Trusted Network for AI and a regional employer, Lumen looks forward to collaborating on contributing to community initiatives emerging from the Co-Innovation Lab anchored in Greenwood, helping turn AI ambition into real-world impact."
Sean Alexander, SVP Connected Ecosystem, Lumen Technologies
Microsoft is also working with Tulsa Public Schools through its Elevate program, alongside Black Tech Street, to support district-wide AI readiness initiatives focused on educator training, AI-powered career pathways, and operational productivity. The collaboration includes ongoing AI skilling opportunities for educators, industry-aligned student certification pathways, and exploration of Microsoft Copilot to help streamline administrative workflows across the district.
As the lead organization for Tulsa's Tech Hub coalition, Tulsa Innovation Labs views the Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab as an important milestone in advancing the region's strategy to become a national center for autonomous systems and artificial intelligence innovation.
"Today's opening is a powerful milestone, not just for Greenwood, but for the entire Tulsa region and our Tech Hubs strategy. The Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab brings to life what this investment is meant to do: connect world-class partners, cutting-edge technology, and community-rooted talent to build something uniquely competitive on a global stage.
At Tulsa Innovation Labs, we see this as a proof point for how our broader strategy comes together to advance leadership in autonomous systems and AI while ensuring that innovation translates into real opportunity for people."
Jennifer Hankins, Tulsa Innovation Labs Managing Director
Tulsa Mayor Monroe also Nichols expressed support for the opening of the Greenwood Cyber + AI Lab and the role it will play in strengthening Tulsa's growing technology ecosystem.
"Black Tech Street is helping position Tulsa as a city that is not just preparing for the future, but helping shape it," Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said. "The opening of the Greenwood Cyber & AI Lab is a powerful investment in innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development rooted in one of the most historically significant communities in our country. Greenwood has always been a place of vision and economic opportunity, and through the leadership of Tyrance Billingsley and Black Tech Street, I'm excited for that legacy to continue in a bold new way. Tulsa is proud to support this work and excited about the opportunities this lab will create for our residents, businesses, and future generations."
City of Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols
Black Tech Street: Black Tech Street is an organization working to rebirth Historic Greenwood as a premier Innovation Economy rooted in AI and Cybersecurity. Our goal is to pilot what a successful, accessible AI powered economy can look like and scale the model nationally to help the United States of America responsibly win the AI Race.
Media Contact:
Smiley Elmore III
Director of Technology
Black Tech Street
[email protected] | 918-671-2380
SOURCE Black Tech Street
Share this article