As cities around the world increasingly embrace the possibilities of the next generation of the Internet, it’s imperative for civic leaders to share lessons and ideas to ensure that revolutionary technologies have the kind of impact we want on our societies.
Kansas City’s access to Google Fiber gigabit internet technology places our region in a special position to drive this change.
On Tuesday, July 29, the Kansas City Digital Drive invites local civic leaders interested in exploring the opportunities presented by this new Internet infrastructure to attend the first Gigabit City Summit for the Kansas City metro area. This unique event will be held at the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to a diverse lineup of speakers, the event will include breakfast, lunch and ample opportunities to network with local city leaders.
Register online to attend.
Later, in January 2015, we will hold the first National Gigabit City Summit to invite smart city innovators from around the country to take part in the discussion that’s beginning right here in KC. (Stay tuned to our blog for details on that event.)
Focus on KC
While the KC Digital Drive Playbook grew out of the two Kansas Cities, regional focus was an important and intentional outcome. Because the gigabit internet doesn’t stop at the city, county, or state lines, it creates an opportunity for us to work as a region to achieve things that no one city or institution can do on its own.
The Playbook from the Mayors’ Bi-State Innovation Team serves as the framework for many initiatives that have already made significant progress. At Tuesday’s Summit we’ll discuss:
- Gigabit-enabled health care and education pilot projects in progress.
- Steps that are being taken to address the digital divide.
- How this new infrastructure is being used to bolster the local innovation economy.
- Ways Kansas City has been thrust into a global dialog on smart cities and emerging technology as a result of this unique ultra-high-speed network.
Mayors, city managers, economic development officials, and community champions from throughout the region as we detail what we’ve done and plan for what we must do as we move forward to realize the full value from this tremendous asset.