This paper highlights insights from our journey and proposes a set of principles for local leadership rooted in our experiences as a younger generation of transatlantic leaders navigating structural change. Our recommendations emphasise civic connection and identity, locally grounded communication, and visible delivery.

This paper examines how these regions navigate three defining dynamics of 2026: rearmament driven by Europe’s military build-up, looming recarbonisation as fossil fuel dependencies are deepened, and political realignment marked by surging populist anti-establishment movements.

In October 2024 the project fellows travelled through the American industrial heartlands to get a first-hand impression of the prevailing political climate and to engage with numerous organizations and individuals who are deeply involved in shaping the future of these industrial heartlands.

The meetings provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities in these regions, allowing the project fellows to summarize their findings in policy papers that provide actionable recommendations for policymakers and change makers in both the United States and Germany.

After an intensive first working phase on the thematic strands of “Climate, Work and Innovation” and “Perspective for the Future, Respect and Participation”, our Project Fellows outlined the issues and topics they will work on throughout the course of the project. They were presented to the public at Innocracy Conference on November 17 where these impulse papers set the scene for a panel discussion amongst elected officials and leaders from the US Midwest as well as German transformation regions.