The Smarter Cities Challenge

Launched in 2010, the Smarter Cities Challenge is a competitive grant program led by IBM Corporate Citizenship. The focus of the initiative is to enable up to 100 cities around the world to become more vibrant and livable places for their citizens. The program is the largest single philanthropic program at IBM. Each city participating in the challenge receive a donation primarily in the form of talent — the time and expertise of top performing IBMers from different functions and locations, who work closely with city leaders to deliver recommendations on the selected issue.

After a rigorous application process during which hundreds of cities around the world applied, IBM has chosen its first 24 cities to receive Smarter Cities Challenge grants: Antofagasta, Chile; Boulder, CO; Bucharest, Romania; Chengdu, China; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Delhi, India; Edmonton, Canada; Eindhoven, Netherlands; Glasgow, UK; Guadalajara, Mexico; Helsinki, Finland; Jakarta, Indonesia; Milwaukee, WI; New Orleans, LA; Newark, NJ; Nice, France; Philadelphia, PA; Providence, RI; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sapporo, Japan; St. Louis, MO; Syracuse, NY; Townsville, Australia; Tshwane-Pretoria, South Africa. 

The approximate value of each Smarter Cities Challenge grant is equivalent to as much as US$400,000. The grant gives the cities access to experts to analyze and recommend ways to become even better place to live, work and dwell. During these engagements, IBM’s technical experts, researchers and consultants submerge themselves in local issues in these cities. Among examined issues are healthcare, education, safety, social services, transportation, communications, budget management, energy, and utilities.

Each city participating in the Challenge will receive a donation primarily in the form of talent — the time and expertise of top performing IBMers from different functions and locations, who will work closely with city leaders to deliver recommendations on the selected issue. Cities will also have access to a wide array of IBM resources including CityForward, a new tool which allows cities to analyze, compare and visualize data across systems. Cities around the world are invited to apply for the Smarter Cities Challenge. The application for 2012 grants will open in late 2011. More information here 

Case on Boulder: The Worlds First Smart Grid City here

Blog entry: Smart Cities - when communication technologies creates sustainable cities here

IBM Report on Smarter Cities Challenge here

More about the Smarter Cities Challenge

The IBM Smarter Cities Challenge will be awarding a total of $50 million worth of technology and services to 100 municipalities worldwide over the next three years in the competitive grant program. Teams of specially selected IBM experts will provide city leaders with analysis and recommendations to support successful growth, better delivery of municipal services, more citizen engagement, and improved efficiency. 

IBM selected cities that made the strongest case for participating in the Smarter Cities Challenge. During these engagements, IBM technical experts, researchers and consultants immerse themselves in local issues and offer a range of options and recommended next-steps. Among the issues they examine are healthcare, education, safety, social services, transportation, communications, sustainability, budget management, energy, and utilities.

Exploring Cisco Connected Cities and Siemens Smart Grid Cities

Cisco's Smart+Connected Communities helps transform physical communities into connected communities. Cisco provide "Community+Connect" experience for the constituents (residents and business) as well as a "Community+Exchange" for those who manage the community. We understand how important it is for governments and their private sector partners to ensure a thriving, safe community where constituents are free to live, work, learn, and play. 

Siemens Smart Grid Cities is one of several comphrensive high-tech initatives aiming to deliver intelligent, trendsetting solutions to the increasingly complex challenges the energy business as well as the society at large are facing today. The close interaction of all fields of technology and expertise at Siemens results in products, solutions, and services that meet the increasing challenges of the changing energy landscape. Siemens’ comprehensive Smart Grid technologies emphasize this and take the city of the future to a new level.