CBus Ranks Among Top Intelligent Communities

Written by Innovate New Albany@InnovateNA12 years ago

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From our friends at TechColumbus:

Columbus is the only U.S. city named to the Intelligent Communities Forum Top 7 list for 2013. The Intelligent Communities Forum (ICF) recently announced its annual list of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities of the Year with Columbus being the only U.S. city to make the list. The announcement was made in Honolulu, Hawaii during the annual Pacific Telecommunications Council’s annual conference.

The seven cities (three from North America, two from Taiwan and two from Europe) were selected from among the Smart21 of 2013 – a list of the world’s 21 most intelligent communities as judged by the ICF. Columbus was named to the Smart 21 list for the second consecutive year.

Much of this year’s nomination focused on workforce development efforts in the region to build a knowledge workforce capable of competing in a 21st century economy. Programs from Columbus State Community College, Battelle’s STEM education and workforce development networks, Metro High School, the Columbus Metropolitan Library and the newly launched Per Scholas were just a few of the initiatives included in the city’s nomination response.

In addition, the ICF judges intelligent communities based on accessibility to broadband, digital inclusion and innovation.

“The Top 7 communities of 2013 have made innovation – based on information and communications technology – the cornerstone of their economies and fostered economic growth through high-quality employment, while increasing the quality of life of their citizens,” said Lou Zacharilla , ICF co-founder during Wednesday’s announcement.

Columbus will go on to compete for honors as the Intelligent Community of the Year for 2013 which will be announced in June as part of the ICF’s annual meeting in New York City.

For complete details on the ICF and the full list of the Top 7 for 2013, visit intelligentcommunity.org.

Innovate New Albany, the city’s incubator for technology startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses, features 16,000 square feet of space within the New Albany Business Park’s Signature Office Building, 8000 Walton Parkway.