Aurora Named Finalist in National Smart Cities Competition
Smart Cities Council, the sector’s largest coalition, this week announced the finalists for its 2018 Readiness Challenge Competition.
With an initial application pool of several dozen cities, counties and states throughout the country, the city of Aurora is one of eight finalists. Five will be selected in early March to receive mentoring as well as tailored products and services to accelerate their smart city initiatives.
Other finalists include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Birmingham, AL; Cary, NC; Fairfax County, VA; Los Angeles, CA; Las Vegas, NV; Louisville-Jefferson County, KY; and the state of Virginia.
“We are thrilled to see such a diverse set of candidates committed to making their communities more livable, workable and sustainable,” said Smart Cities Council Chairman Jesse Berst. “They have already made substantial progress in developing their visions, and we are excited about working hands-on with them to bring those visions to life.”
The five winning jurisdictions will receive a full year of expert, vendor-neutral mentoring, plus an on-site Readiness Workshop custom-tailored to each community’s needs and priorities. They will also receive free products and services worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from leading organizations, including Qualcomm, Battelle, SYNEXXUS, CompTIA and IES.
“We are excited to move forward in the process,”said Aurora Director of Data and Analytics Andrew Fuerborn. “Should Aurora be awarded the grant, we will collaborate with our neighboring communities to develop a broad smart city strategy, which will include an open data portal and data analytics tools.”
The 2017 Readiness Challenge Competition helped Austin, Indianapolis, Miami, Newport News, Orlando and Philadelphia craft action plans to further innovation, inclusion and investment within their cities.
“Aurora is laser focused on knowledge, intelligence, innovation and sustainability,” said Aurora Chief Information Officer Michael Pegues. “Without question, Aurora will become the regional leader for smart innovation systems and technologies.”
About The Smart Cities Council
The Smart Cities Council envisions a world where digital technology and intelligent design are harnessed to create smart, sustainable cities with high-quality living and high-quality jobs. A leader in smart cities education, the council is comprised of more than 120 partners and advisers who have generated $2.7 trillion in annual revenue and contributed to more than 11,000 smart cities projects.
About The City of Aurora
Located 35 miles west of Chicago, Aurora is the second largest city in Illinois with a population of 200,456. Aurora is known as the “City of Lights” because it was one of the first in the nation to illuminate its streets with electric lights. Situated along the Fox River and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88), the city extends 46 square miles encompassing Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will counties. Aurora is home to six public school districts and seven townships. For the latest news, access to an archive of past news releases or to follow the city on Facebook or Twitter, visit the city’s website at www.aurora-il.org.
