Chattanooga was one of three cities recognized at the 2025 Heartland Summit as a Secret Sauce Community.
Chattanooga joined Fargo, North Dakota and Wichita Kansas in receiving the honor. Secret Sauce cities showcases each city’s innovative approach to economic growth, community development and cultural vitality, according to Heartland Forward President Angie Cooper.
“Heartland Summit brings people together to engage in conversations about what it takes to advance economic growth in the heartland and turn ideas into action,” Cooper said. “All three cities have carved out a unique identity embracing geographic location and cultural roots—all while growing and strengthening economic growth and overall livability.”
Cooper said it’s the second time the Scenic City has received the honor. “Your city is leading in so many great things. The city is one of the first to offer affordable high-speed internet. You have the growth of the community all the way from nature to economic growth and overall livability. Chattanooga is a pretty special place, and we're excited to share that with our Heartland Summit audience and beyond.”
Known as “Gig City,” Chattanooga continues leveraging its first-of-its-kind publicly owned gig internet network to drive tech innovation and entrepreneurial growth, now becoming a hub for quantum and AI.
“Chattanooga is proof that a mid-sized city can punch above its weight when we focus on innovation and quality of life,” said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. “We were the first city in the country to roll out citywide gig-speed internet, and today that foundation supports everything from advanced manufacturing to tech startups. I’m proud of how we’ve embraced smart infrastructure, invested in our people and remained deeply connected to the natural beauty that surrounds and am honored to be named a Secret Sauce Community for the second time.”
The Heartland Summit was co-founded by Olivia and Tom Walton and Steuart Walton in 2018 to kick-start economic growth and help change the narrative about the middle of the country. The Summit is a forum for frank conversation about our shared challenges, creating positive action and strengthening connections.
"After that first summit, not only were we inspired, others that came to the summit were also inspired,” Cooper said. “So that's when Heartland Forward was launched in 2019. We have the same core mission at Heartland Forward about changing the narrative about the middle of the country and accelerating economic growth. We wake up every day thinking about how we can be a resource for states and local communities.”
Cooper said the 20 states that make up the heartland are the third largest GDP in the world under the US and China. “We have a lot of work to do to make sure that remains and we focus on three impact areas. The first is regional competitiveness. The second is building a robust talent pipeline. And the third is health and wellness to ensure that, you know, our communities are healthy and thriving.”
Cooper said Heartland Forward has a plan to accelerate economic growth, change the narrative about the middle of the country and generate $500 million of economic impact to the heartland by 2030. “So, we will be focused on how to build that talent pipeline, supporting rural students, specifically figuring out what their career path is post high school,” she said. “We are also announcing a new partnership with an ed tech platform called Stimuli. It is going to be focused on how we can help Heartland entrepreneurs and rural students ensure that they have the skills and opportunity to thrive in an AI economy.”
Cooper added they are also launching initiatives to better support maternal health. "At our summit last year, we had a conversation around the needs for maternal health,” she said. “Maternal health, within the heartland, is lagging behind the rest of the country. And it was a conversation around how we can take care of moms, babies and family. Because if we do that it will drive economic success for our communities in the heartland So, this year we're taking that conversation and we've been at work meeting with public policy makers, philanthropists and other key leaders that are experts on maternal health. We’ll be announcing a new maternal and child center for policy and practice that will be led by Heartland Forward starting the work in Arkansas and then working across seven other states.”