NEW: Providence Selected as IBM Smarter City
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Mayor Angel Taveras announced today that Providence is one of the 24 cities chosen worldwide to receive an IBM Smarter Cities grant.
The city worked with the Ocean State Consortium of Advanced Resources (OSCAR) on the proposal for IBM’s 2011 Smarter Cities Challenge, which will be awarding grants to 100 cities around the world over the next three years.
Innovation leading to savings
“The IBM Smarter Cities Challenge will benefit us all – helping us to collect, share and analyze the City’s data to better understand our strengths and develop innovative and cost-effective strategies to deliver services and build a stronger economy in Providence,” said Mayor Taveras.
The city will receive $400,000 in technology and services from the grant. A part of this will include advice from IBM consultants and technology specialists about how Providence could best utilize intelligent technology to become a smarter, safer, and more prosperous urban center.
“We selected Providence because of its commitment to the use of data to make better decisions, and for its desire to explore and act on smarter solutions to its most pressing concerns.” said Jennifer Crozier, IBM director of corporate citizenship and corporate affairs. “The cities we picked are eager to implement programs that tangibly improve the quality of life in their areas, and to create roadmaps for other cities to follow. The stakes have never been greater but we’re excited at the prospect of helping cities tackle the most pressing challenges of our time.”
