White House announces Smart Cities Initiative; Dallas to launch Innovation Alliance

The Smart Cities Initiative will invest more than $160 million in research and leverage new technology collaborations to help communities tackle key challenges. The effort uses federal resources to meet local needs; helping to reduce traffic congestion, fight crime, foster economic growth and improve delivery of city services.

Dallas is one of 25 cities participating in the Initiative, garnering multi-city collaborations between universities and industry. For their part, Dallas is launching the Dallas Innovation Alliance, led by the Dallas Entrepreneur Center, which will focus its initial efforts in the West End district by tackling infrastructure, mobility and connected living.

The Alliance will harness the collective science, technology and community knowledge of various local civic leaders, data scientists and technologists under the leadership of the Dallas Entrepreneur Center. Partners and charter members include Mayor Mike Rawlings, AECOM, AT&T, IBM, Microsoft, Dallas Regional Chamber and Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

In addition, Dallas will partner with the Texas Research Alliance to use the MetroLab Network to collectively undertake 60 Smart City projects over the next year. These projects will seek to improve efficiencies and the effectiveness of infrastructure and services in the participating cities. The core mission of the Texas Research Alliance is to actively grow the base of research capacity and technology commercialization in North Texas by engaging industry, philanthropic, university, and state support.

For more information on the Smart Cities Initiatives visit http://1.usa.gov/1iS2v5h.