Aug 05, 2016
This post is part of our Age of Urban Tech discussion series, following the fifth edition of the New Cities Summit in Montréal in June 2016. The Small Business Cities panel looked at the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that are driving innovation and increasing urban economic outcomes. The Mayor of Liége, Willy Demeyer,…
Jun 23, 2016
Everywhere, entrepreneurs and innovators are tapping into the immense power of technology to solve concrete and pressing challenges in cities and day two of the 2016 New Cities Summit provided the central hub of this transformative energy. Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) Authority Chairman Lee Young-geun opened the day by delving deeper into urban innovation…
Jun 22, 2016
Cities matter, get used to it A new and powerful wave of urban innovation is taking cities to a new age called Urban Tech. “Cities matter, get used to it” affirmed Denis Coderre, Mayor of Montréal as the fifth edition of the New Cities Summit was launched in the vibrant Quartier des Spectacles, the creative…
Jun 17, 2016
We hosted an explosive conversation on the Age of Urban Tech on Thursday, June 16. Over the course of one hour, we invited a diverse group of thinkers, technology leaders and entrepreneurs from across the world to share there insights on the next urban wave of change set to impact cities. The Age of Urban…
Jun 15, 2016
One of the most pressing issues around the world is the immense shortage of much-needed infrastructure. Unprecedented urbanization is driving demand for infrastructure in cities globally – whether it is transport, water and sewer, digital or social. As the world’s urban population swells, infrastructure is critical to creating economic development, attracting talent, making cities more…
Jun 10, 2016
In nearly every major city in the United States, urban renewal-era planning connected downtowns to newly developing suburbs with multi-lane highways, in the process destroying acres of city fabric. In rare instances, the highways tunneled under the city; more frequently they were elevated or placed in depressed channels to segregate the fast-moving traffic from “impediments”…
Jun 04, 2016
Earlier this month I traveled to Lavasa, a new master-planned city built in the hilly region 300 kilometers southeast of Mumbai, India. I was there to chair the New Cities Foundation’s third roundtable for new city project leaders as part of Cityquest, our network of the world’s biggest and boldest new cities builders, an initiative…
Jun 03, 2016
Rendeavour CEO Stephen Jennings discusses the vast opportunities in Africa and his organization’s role in building new urban landscapes across the continent in a Q&A with NewCities Chairman John Rossant. John Rossant: You have worked across several geographies – in Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana. Our network, our community would…
May 31, 2016
“We need to ask ourselves: what is the cost of deferred investment and maintenance in infrastructure?” Jeffrey DeWitt, CFO of Washington, DC asked 150 thought leaders gathered in New York with the shared goal of exploring and identifying new ways of financing urban infrastructure. The answer to his question is clear. The cost of ignoring…
May 27, 2016
Around the world, the migration of populations into cities in both advanced and developing economies is exerting pressure on the urban infrastructures of cities and on the governments that manage them. Governments face the challenges of shoring up physical facilities and systems—as well as preparing for the digital revolution—often with the added pressure of tighter…
May 26, 2016
Automobile air pollution is a well-recognised source of illness in urban environments. In response, smart cities monitor and move to reduce it. But what about traffic noise, car honks, sirens and revving motors? Cities are significantly noisier than rural areas. Almost a third of Europe’s population lives in areas where noise levels exceed the 55…
May 21, 2016
The future is urban for the majority of the world’s population. This is evidenced by unprecedented rural-urban migration, sprawl and informal settlements. It is also demonstrated by a sharp uptick in mega-developments, including brand new, master-planned cities. Over the past decade or so, dozens of new urban mega projects are popping up across Asia, the…
