Kansas City seeks leaders for Smart City board
May 28, 2015 | Bobby Burch
The City of Kansas City, Mo., is now seeking nominations to lead the city’s smart city efforts.
City leaders hope to attract citizens with experience in smart city technologies to help advise the City of Fountain’s coming Cisco Smart City project, in addition to its other smart city efforts.
The newly authorized “Smart City Advisory Board” will help the city establish best-practice policies for smart city applications, which combine a communications and data network to make the city more efficient. To nominate a citizen for the smart city board, click here.
Cisco and Kansas City announced in May of 2014 that the two would partner to create North America’s largest smart city project. The public-private initiative will turn Kansas City’s downtown into a “living lab” of connectivity that will gain insights on the city’s traffic, public safety, coming streetcar line and more. The project in total will cost about $15 million, according to the Kansas City Business Journal.
Business incubator and coworking space Think Big Partners plans to act as a “development portal” manager for the project, allowing area entrepreneurs to access Smart City data. Kansas City Mayor Sly James previously challenged startups and entrepreneurs in the area to develop solutions to improve the city, including its water system.
Featured Business

2015 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
This $25 stack of ‘Touchdown Toast’ barely fits in its photo; Chiefs concessions debuts decadent playoff platter
Chiefs fans will have a “larger-than-life, breakfast-for-dinner” creation to celebrate the playoffs as Kansas City’s hometown team returns to Arrowhead Stadium later this month. “Touchdown Toast” — described as a loaf of bread that is first soaked in eggs, custard, milk and heavy cream, seared and then baked — is among the first specialty offerings…
Café Equinox propagates new year-round Liberty location; Nelson brothers taking perennial coffee concept evergreen
Café Equinox initially was meant to operate its coffee shop concept only during the equinox, nestled inside Family Tree Nursery greenhouses, said Jonah Nelson. “From September through March when people don’t have that warm outside space, they can come to the greenhouse,” said Nelson, who operates the family-owned garden centers with his brother, Jessie. “It…
KC Tech Council shuffles tech veterans among key board positions; their goal: keep KC tech competitive
A leadership transition at the top advocacy group for Kansas City’s tech community aims to continue the organization’s mission, while opening even more doors for companies across the region that are brimming with innovation. “We plan to broaden our collective impact within the region by providing new opportunities through policy advocacy, tech talent development, catalyzing…
Pilot program targets $50K ops grants to culturally-driven orgs, businesses in the arts
Small arts programs across the region could receive a $50,000 grant from a new pilot program that aims to provide vital sustainability funding for arts-centric businesses and organizations that often fall through the cracks. Applications for the Cultural Sustainability grants are open through 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10. The program plans to give general operating…
