By Scott Meacham
Copyright © 2018, The Oklahoman
I’m a numbers guy; lately, the number 22,000 has been stuck in my mind.
That’s how many Oklahoma jobs have been created so far through the public/private partnerships of the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST).
When you think about it, 22,000 is really a remarkable result, especially when you consider it all resulted from the efforts of a state agency that was a startup 30 years ago.
A lot of moving parts go into creating thousands of jobs from Oklahoma companies that didn’t exist — investment in research, local sources of venture capital, STEM education and university curriculum that showcases entrepreneurship as a highly desirable career path, just to name a few.
One of the most decisive levers of job creation from the innovation economy is the passion and grit put forth by the founding teams — the tenacity and optimism that drive Oklahoma’s young technology companies gain enough momentum to grow and create jobs.
Tailwind, a 25-person Oklahoma firm that’s doubling in size year over year, typifies this startup energy. Tailwind provides