Opportunity Spotlight: The Smarter Cities Challenge

"A city can be defined as ‘smart’ when investments in human and social capital and traditional (transport) and modern (ICT) communication infrastructure fuel sustainable economic development and a high quality of life, with a wise management of natural resources, through participatory governance."-Smarter Cities Challenge Initiative

In a press release last week, IBM International Foundation launched the Smarter Cities Challenge, a $50 million initiative to provide 100 cities around the world with technology and consulting services over a three year period. By enhancing the capacity of city leaders to collect, analyze and act upon information across systems, the Smarter Cities initiative aims to help cities address service delivery challenges including health care, transportation, energy, clean water, education, social services, public safety and economic development. Through the initiative, IBM consultants and technology specialists will lend their talents to smarter cities challenge winners across the globe. They will work in partnership with local leaders to recommend strategies designed to make metro areas: healthier, safer, smarter and more attractive to current and prospective residents and businesses.

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