Texan innovation alliance pledges to address immediate and core priorities: Smart Cities World
Texan innovation alliance pledges to address immediate and core priorities
The North Texas Innovation Alliance, which has also joined the City Possible network, will focus both on immediate challenges related to Covid-19, as well as look ahead to establish core priorities.
A consortium of cross sector sector organisations have formed the North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA) with a mission to create the most connected, smart, and resilient region in the country.
It also becomes the latest member of the Mastercard City Possible network, a partnership and co-creation initiative that brings cities, companies and communities together to identify common challenges and co-develop solutions that advance inclusive and sustainable urban development.
It is claimed NTXIA is the largest initiative of its kind in the US.
Shared resources
The alliance stated that it recognises the benefits of a regional approach to share best practices, use shared resources, build connections, create efficiencies and improve services throughout the region.
It will focus both on immediate challenges related to Covid-19, as well as look ahead to establish core priorities, plans and deliverables that establish cross-jurisdictional solutions.
"Smart city collaboration is now moving beyond municipal boundaries, and more and more regions are working together in order to create seamless interchanges for their residents," said Jennifer Sanders, co-founder, North Texas Innovation Alliance.
She continued: "Everyone benefits from the North Texas region working collectively to create the most compelling and innovative solutions to support government, residents and businesses, and to provide the infrastructure that is prepared to collaborate to respond with agility in times of crisis."
"Smart city collaboration is now moving beyond municipal boundaries, and more and more regions are working together in order to create seamless interchanges for their residents"
The 21 founding members of the North Texas Innovation Alliance include: Addison, Allen, Arlington, Coppell, Corinth, Dallas, Dallas County, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas Innovation Alliance, Dallas Regional Chamber, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Frisco, Garland, Irving, McKinney, McKinney Economic Development Corporation, North Texas Commission, North Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), Plano, Richardson, and the Texas Research Alliance.
Through its leadership and vision for the region, the North Texas Commission played a key role in establishing the consortium through hosting convenings of its membership that facilitated collaboration in shaping the mission of the NTXIA.
Core principles
One of the core tenets of NTXIA is the establishment of strategic advisory committees to tackle complex topics including data standards and privacy, cybersecurity, digital inclusion, financial models and procurement. It is NTXIA’s belief that these problems can only be solved through best minds approaches and can be addressed more quickly together than those developed individually.
As part of the City Possible network, the NTXIA will be able to use Mastercard’s expertise, data and partnerships to help address pressing challenges facing the region.
"Since its inception, City Possible was always designed to become a network of networks and we are already seeing that come to fruition in 2020," added Miguel Gamino, executive vice president, Enterprise Partnerships and head of Global Cities.
"By bringing their consortium of cities to the network, we will help the regions represented by NTXIA tap into the insights and resources of the global community and accelerate local collaboration to deploy solutions at scale."