Bringing it All Together: Creating a Smart Region Connecting Communities

Smart Cities (counties and states), loosely defined as using data and technology to improve solutions across communities, have become a worldwide priority and focus. To be a truly smart region, “we must widen our focus and fully integrate economic growth and development, innovation, technology and livability under a regional umbrella”. There are smart city projects already in place or underway across the greater Washing region- the Smarter DC Initiative, Montgomery County’s Smart Community Alert Network, Prince George’s County and Virginia Smart Communities. Through partnerships and collaboration, the Greater Washington Board of Trade is working to converge and scale such capabilities into a broader region-wide effort to ensure the DMV remains both globally competitive and at the forefront of innovation. While technology is an important component of the greater Smart City/Smart region concept, it also needs to be built on a “conversation about human beings.” A ‘smart’ Smart City behaves holistically in a way that addresses the collective human needs of the entire community. In short, it is truly connected.  This session will provide an overview of the efforts to creating a smart – and – connected – region and how the pursued approach is placing people and the regions in which they reside at the core of this effort.