On Thursday, July 8th, the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard and City Possible convened experts from around the globe for a virtual conversation to discuss strategies for bringing back tourism in a sustainable way that also produces inclusive prosperity for great destinations. The global pandemic has devastated the tourism and travel industries. In 2019, …
We are seven months into a global pandemic that has shocked, impacted, and changed every aspect of our cities. But what have we learned from it? Let’s explore three valuable lessons cities can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic, with some examples from around the world and thoughts on what cities might do next. Lesson #1: …
3 Valuable Lessons Cities Can Learn from the COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »
Contact tracing works by identifying which people an infected individual has had recent contact with, who those people have had contact with, and so on — unraveling a spider web of interactions in order to trace the path of a spreading pathogen like coronavirus. Anyone who has been exposed will then need to be isolated …
How COVID-19 Contact Tracing Apps Work for City Governments Read More »
City leaders are tackling connectivity hurdles in a variety of ways and working with telcos to maintain a semblance of normalcy among civilians during the COVID-19 outbreak. To facilitate knowledge sharing — specifically about COVID-19 — between city leaders, Dr. David S. Ricketts, Innovation Fellow at Harvard TECH, hosts a weekly Zoom call to discuss …
How Cities are Managing Connectivity During the COVID-19 Pandemic Read More »
What makes a building “smart?” Technology is a key component to be sure, but the idea can also relate to how those using the building are affected. In this, the last of a three-part series on smart buildings, we take a closer look at how structures can promote wellness and productivity, and in doing so, …
Civic innovation may not have one single definition, but when broken down to the components of ‘civic’ and ‘innovation’ we may broadly agree that it has something to do with finding new solutions to problems that impact citizens. Here we explain the various angles by which leaders may inspire civic innovation in their cities, with …
Inspiring Civic Innovation: Real-World Strategies That Work Read More »
There is a lot happening in the world of smart cities right now. In this article, we explore smart city examples from around the world to see how leaders in Athens, Greece, Chennai, India, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Canterbury-Bankstown, Australia, and Prague, Czech Republic are solving city problems with technology and innovation. Smart City Examples #1: …
Getting to know people, their plans, ambitions and collaboration strategies, and how they tackle challenges in different cities and countries around the world is what brings value over time. After dissecting roughly 100 Smart Cities case studies over the last couple months, here are five takeaways. 1. Citizen Focus Trumps Everything Else The message comes …
Smart City Collaboration: Why Those Who Share, Win Read More »
Although individual definitions may vary, many leaders in the smart city space would agree that the term ‘smart city’ broadly refers to a city that is using technology and data to make decisions that will improve city operations and increase the quality of life for residents. Soumya Ghosh, Director of Digital Enablement for the city …
When it comes to the private sector, there are many great examples of businesses that offer stellar customer service. Take Costco, for example. As Franco Amalfi of Oracle put it, “Costco is an experience.” Every time you go in, you can find new products, experience something new, and the level of service you receive is …
