The Smart City Expo World Congress in Spain recently awarded New York the ?2016 Best Smart City.?? Mayor Bill de Blasio made the announcement.
?New York is proud to be recognized as the capital of innovation and progress, and a city where everyone has equal access to opportunities and success,??said Mayor Bill de Blasio. ?We are committed to ensuring we continue to be the leader of urban sustainability, resiliency and technology,?and we are?honored to host Smart Cities NYC ?17 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this coming Spring.”
The award recognizes cutting-edge initiatives that help resolve urban challenges and benefit cities and their residents. This announcement comes at a time when the City is seeing major progress related to Mayor de Blasio?s OneNYC plan, which aims to create a more sustainable, resilient and equitable city.
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Earlier this month, the Smart City Expo World Congress announced a new partnership to hold their first event in the United States: Smart Cities NYC ’17. ?The international conference and exposition will focus on the intersection of technology and urban life and will be held May 3-7.?More than a dozen City agencies and offices will participate alongside public and private sector leaders and influencers from around the globe.
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?There could be no better place to hold this important event than in New York City and at the Brooklyn Navy Yard,? said?Jerry Hutlin, Chairman and Executive Director of Global Futures Group. ?Smart Cities NYC ?17 will bring together world-class keynote speakers, experts and residents for constructive discussions and provocative debates, while also showcasing and advancing cutting-edge solutions for creating smarter, safer and more resilient global cities.?
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?Brooklyn Navy Yard has been a center of innovation since it was first used to build ships 200 years ago,” said BNYDC President David Ehrenberg. “Brooklyn Navy Yard continues that tradition today as home to a mix of older manufacturers and a growing number of companies that use advanced technologies to design, engineer and manufacture products ? which now employ more people than at any time since the Navy left Brooklyn.?
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The 2016 Best Smart City Award highlights key progress by the de Blasio Administration in four areas:
Expanding Connectivity for All
Piloting and Scaling Smart Technologies
Growing the Innovation Economy
Ensuring Responsible and Equitable Deployment
?The rapid growth of our urban innovation sector demonstrates that building a sustainable, resilient city isn?t just smart planning ? it helps support new businesses that create good jobs for New Yorkers,? said NYCEDC President Maria Torres-Springer. ?Programs like Urbantech NYC provide the resources that entrepreneurs need to build sustainability and resiliency into the DNA of our City?s economy.?
