The Story of Moop: How an Unlikely Company Came to Be
A Pittsburgh woman managed to build a successful bag company from a failed effort to make a dress.
Economic Development
221 posts
The iPhone Case That Can Call the Police
A startup in Pittsburgh has designed a smartphone case and app to deter assault and help catch the attackers.
The Company That Turns Plastic Bottles Into Fabric and Jobs
A startup in Pittsburgh shows what a social enterprise is capable of.
The Hard Road to Making Hard Liquor
A look at a nascent distillery in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley
Hip in the Heartland
It's not just Brooklyn and the Bay Area any more
California High-Speed Rail No. 14: Why You Shouldn’t Get Your Hopes Up for the Self-Driving Car
"Would you prefer a system where you can be instantly teleported from SF to LA? Of course. But that doesn't mean it's going to happen."
Going Home to Columbus
A generation returns to build lives and a town.
Making Mead in a Space-Age World
A new craft-beverage business in Allentown, Pennsylvania, benefits from its association with an incubator of high-tech businesses.
California High-Speed Rail Lucky No. 13: Let’s Look at Maglev and Other Alternatives
Let's Look at Maglev and Other Alternatives. "Should we invest in infrastructure? Absolutely! But the right kind of infrastructure." Some ideas on what that might mean.
When ‘Collaboration’ Is More Than a Buzzword
The story of a business partnership that stands to boost the economy of Columbus, Ohio, and the surrounding region
What the Beer Industry and the Computer Industry Have in Common
They grew up in the same era and, despite some obvious differences, have some surprising parallels.
Pennsylvania’s Beer Economy
Brewers have been perfecting their recipes in this part of the country since the middle of the 19th century.
No. 12: All Aboard for the California High-Speed Rail Chronicles
In next month's election, Jerry Brown is seeking a fourth term as California's governor and public support for his plan for a north-south bullet train to transform travel in a car-dependent state. Here is more of what's at stake.
Ingredients of a Better City: How Arts Play Their Part
A soft-power approach to hard economic and social problems
Urban Comeback Stories in 2 Swing States
Tales from two cities, plus the secret of the writing life
Wasted Waterfronts: Why Cities Struggle to Build Along Rivers
The story of Allentown, Pennsylvania, as it turns its attention to a long-neglected asset