Inclusive Innovation in Advanced Manufacturing
Lessons Learned from UMA’s Made with Equity Initiative
This report shares key insights from the Made with Equity initiative, a partnership between the Urban Manufacturing Alliance and the University of North Carolina. Through case studies in Baton Rouge, Buffalo, and Orlando, the report explores how local institutions are aligning workforce development, business support, and technology adoption to create more inclusive manufacturing ecosystems.
In each region, workforce intermediaries, education providers, and community-based organizations are working together to support both workers and firms. Their efforts demonstrate how place-based partnerships can drive inclusive innovation—ensuring that investments in advanced manufacturing benefit communities that have long been excluded from economic opportunity.
The report distills five key lessons:
- Make manufacturing relatable
- Enhance job quality for all
- Partner to realize a broader vision
- Leverage what you have
- Build community trust
Together, these stories offer a blueprint for how inclusive innovation can take root when equity and technology go hand in hand.