Columbus 2020 and the Rise of Smaller Smart Cities

Story excerpt provided by Machine Design.

Written by Carlos Gonzalez.

Smart-city programs are popping up all over the United States. As we economize the Internet of Things and technology becomes more affordable, cities are taking advantage of the tech boom and looking to instill new programs in their infrastructure. While much of the focus may go to major cities like New York or Los Angeles, medium-sized to smaller cities are actually leading the charge.

A recent survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the analytics firm IHS Markit revealed that 30% of existing smart-city projects are occurring in small cities with residents of 150,000 or less. The survey concluded that smaller and medium-sized cities may have an easier time implementing new technology. These cities may be more motivated to attract interested companies to be their test beds to bringing investment capital and encourage job growth.

One such city is Columbus, Ohio, which was recognized as the Intelligent Community of the Year by the Intelligent Community Foundation. Columbus is the 14th largest city in the U.S. and through public and private sector partnerships, Columbus 2020 was launched to serve “as the economic development organization for the 11-county Columbus Region, working in partnership with state and local partners to generate opportunity and build capacity for economic growth.” The goals which are to be met by the year 2020 are:

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Originally published August 12, 2017.