winning tHE racE For talEnt & capital Much of the last century was defined by ideological struggle whether between fascism or the cold war that Churchill comments seemed to foreshadow in 1939. The 21st century appears to be much more defined by global markets fueled by unconstrained movements of capital and talent. This new world is full of challenges and uncertainty. Although it is impossible to predict tomorrow’s economic sucess story, we identify key trends and as a result make impactful policy decisions. As economic development professionals, we need to realize that policy steps ahead require us to think beyond the realms of our own agencies and build a broader coalition of state and local government to move our economies forward. Our profession is already evolving from simply being driven by attraction and retention of business to a more expansive view. More than ever before, this will require us to serve as conveners, facilitators, and cheerleaders of diverse interests that all play critical roles in propelling our economies forward. The new Economic Development Playbook key tenets- whether it is attracting global talent, building support for entrepreneurship, or making priority investments in a state’s most competitive industries - hold amazing promise for states willing to embrace change. In the end, the lion’s share of benefits will be bestowed on those communities that are willing to lead and win the race for talent and capital