Smart City Leaders and What They're Tackling

By 2050, 70% of 9 billion people will live in cities. The shift from rural to urban demands technology that improves safety, rebuilds infrastructure, and makes better use of space and energy. A look at the leaders and solutions driving the smart city movement.

By 2050, there will be 9 billion on Earth, according to the United Nations. Among these, 70 percent will be in cities. As this shift from rural to urban areas continues, there is a need for technology to improve safety and security, rebuild aging infrastructure and make better use of space and energy. To solve for these advancements, urban areas are adopting innovative internet of Things (IoT) solutions that make their community’s lives easier. Currently, there are parts of many cities’ infrastructure that are “smart” or connected, but they’re largely disparate systems. Smart city leaders of the future realize the need for connecting all of these into one source so that data can be analyzed together as a whole, and create a bigger picture of the city’s needs and consumption patterns. The increase in connectivity will enable efficiency in public transportation, IT connectivity, power supply, sanitation, e-governance, building management and energy tracking. All of these use cases are examples of ways cities can use data and the internet of things to function more effectively and better serve communities. A Few Examples Of Smart City Leaders Columbus Answering to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s call for mid-sized cities to develop a smart transportation system, Columbus created a plan that was built on collaboration and partnership. Their goal was to become the fastest growing Midwest city in job and population growth. To do that, they created a plan using data, applications, and technology to move goods and people more effectively. They’re submission included ways to connect workers with jobs, students with education, expectant mothers with prenatal care, and children to pre-kindergarten programs. They supported these lofty goals by sharing data and leveraging advanced analytics. St. Albert of Alberta, Canada St. Albert of Alberta, Canada has a Smart City Master Plan in place. The foundation of their plan? Citywide broadband connectivity. The city uses underg

By Fred Hoch at TechNexus Venture Collaborative