Trends for the Future
Global development of smart cities has continued to gain traction as the circulation of innovative designs simultaneously bolsters community fascination and demand to incorporate new solutions into our daily lives. By incorporating an array of new technologies throughout our cities, many hope to address growing concerns of climate change, inequality, and other prominent issues by promoting green infrastructure and energy justice as part of our smart city initiatives.
This phenomenon within modern urban development allows us to revolutionize our daily lives through a plethora of significant features that aim to empower services, connectivity, data usage, and more while alleviating the strenuous concerns of the modern world.
In conjunction with the incredible potential provided by the Internet of Things (IoT), it is no surprise that these initiatives are a continually growing trend that is expected to snowball even further. Statista estimates that the worldwide Smart Cities market will reach a projected revenue of $104.80 billion in 2024, continuing to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.15% from 2024 to 2028.
Largely facilitated by centralized government spending, the sheer volume of smart city projects is huge. Subsequently, trying to grasp every aspect that these developments will encompass can be overwhelming and create considerable confusion when assessing the practicality and success of new introductions.
What is a Smart City?
Providing clarification are industry veterans, Smart City Works, who will be delivering their program on January 25, 2024, at 4 PM, highlighting the changing paradigm of what it means to be a "Smart City" and how communities of the future will thrive based on these pursuits. Smart City Works questions the traditionally accepted notion that a pool of digitally connected assets largely characterizes a smart city. Instead, they envision a 'truly smart city' to be distinguished by its capability to address the livability, sustainability, and resilience of critical elements that extend far beyond connected assets.
David Heyman, co-founder and CEO of Smart City Works Venture Labs, stated, "Since 2010, we've been fixated on 'Smarter Planet' and 'Connected Communities' and more, where the notion of a smart city has been a collection of connected devices. That only defines part of the equation." He continued. "A more holistic and forward vision suggests a city that is 'smart' knows how to care for an aging population, educate its children, keep its citizens safe, provide a productive business and economic environment, address mental health issues, public health issue, underserved populations, and ensure energy reliability and sustainability. These elements of the city are the reason technology matters. Technology is an enabler, for sure, but it's the 'what'. A truly smart city focuses beyond that to the 'why.'"
Agenda
The agenda for the seminar will be split into multiple keynotes and an overall presentation separated as follows:
- Welcome Reception, 4-5 PM
- Keynote: Peter Torrellas, President, Cubic Transportation Systems, 5:10-5:30 PM
- Presentations by Startups from Smart City Works, 5:30-6:40 PM
- Closing Keynote: Iliad Terra, CEO, Alfa8, 6:40-7 PM
- Closing Reception: Meet the Founders, 7-7:30 PM
The program will feature an opening and closing keynote by two inspirational practitioners of resiliency, Peter Torrellas, President of Cubic Transportation Systems, and Iliad Terra, CEO of Alfa8, respectively. The theme of this event will showcase a fresh look at embracing these challenges, starting with Caring on Demand and our role in addressing our aging population, then by Riversea Chocolates and how each of us demonstrates daily how sustainability and fair trade can be practiced in a manner that is not in conflict with profitability and successful commercial enterprises.
These will be followed by Looft, delivering affordable AI-driven home comfort and sustainable living solutions supporting underserved communities, then Tu Consejeria and the innovative combination of cultural alignment and technology deployed to address mental health issues to a growing population in need. The event will then finish with GetGreen displaying a compelling showcase of how cities, universities, and corporations can reach beyond stances and slogans and reach into their citizen, student, and employee populations to drive sustainable actions from the ground up.
Brian Ringer, the Founder and CEO of GetGreen, revealed his thoughts on Don Deloach's approach, divulging that "The Smart City Works Actuator program - with its deep commitment to the future of smart and sustainable cities and emphasis on driving implementations of emerging technology - is an ideal fit for GetGreen. Cities, Companies, and Universities across the US are realizing the urgency of addressing the climate crisis and the need for people to take action." The Smart City Works Cohort participant continued. "The GetGreen app makes that easy and fun. With Smart City Works' help, we're working with that same urgency to create customized versions of GetGreen for all these organizations so they can do their part in preserving the planet for future generations."
Smart City initiatives are shaping the future, and Smart City Works is extending its knowledge of these solutions and innovations. To find out more and register for the event, visit here.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
