How can technology help Austin solve some of its biggest problems? That’s what the city will be exploring over the coming months with some help from the Smart Cities Readiness Challenge Grant. Austin is one of five cities to win this competitive grant, which will help our local government to develop a roadmap to use “smart” technology more effectively. (Please note – this is a different grant than the Smart Cities Challenge, a $50 million grant competition hosted by the US Department of Energy, which eventually was won by Columbus, Ohio).

Austin will be using the grant to develop a strategy to invite under-served populations to participate in designing solutions for their mobility, housing, and economic development needs.

“This will help Austin use new technologies to meet old challenges of mobility and affordability,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler in a press release. “Winning the Smart Cities Council Challenge Grant puts us that much closer to creating a comprehensive and inclusive strategy to use technology in a way that benefits communities that are usually left behind.” More info>>