The city of Chattanooga has joined the Multi-City Innovation Campaign, an initiative that helps spur quality technology and innovation in cities across the country. The MCIC serves as a platform for developers, innovators and community leaders to build scalable and sustainable solutions that will change the way that cities communicate with their community members and provide information to citizens about resources, said officials.
"Chattanooga is full of innovative ideas -- and the people to help see those ideas become reality,” said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. “This nationwide Innovation campaign, along with our recent kickoff of the TechHire initiative, reinforces Chattanooga’s position as a leader in the innovation economy.”
The MCIC initiative was started in 2014 by four National League of Cities member cities who asked NLC to expand the program for 2015. The program was recognized earlier this month as a “Bright Idea” by The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University.
“As the leading voice of cities, we’re thrilled to be able to use our resources to grow this campaign and help our cities develop game-changing tools to address their greatest challenges such as health, public safety and economic development,” said Clarence E. Anthony, CEO & executive director of the National League of Cities. “It is important for cities to develop sustainable, technology-driven solutions that address the unique challenges that our local communities face.”
To support scalable and sustainable new technology, the partnering cities will each provide $5,000 to the winning technology, if the city chooses to deploy that new technology in its community, for a total of up to $120,000. Additionally, MCIC applicants will have the opportunity to compete to be a finalist in the upcoming summer 2015 Jumpstart Foundry cohort, a startup accelerator based in Nashville. The winner of the program can receive up to $100,000 in seed capital. The deadline for local technologists to submit their ideas is April 10.
The 2015 MCIC partner communities: Atlanta, Ga.; Austin, Texas; Boston, Mass.; Charlotte, N.C.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Louisville, Ky.; Memphis, Tenn.; Mountain View, Calif.; Nashville, Tenn.; Oakland, Calif.; Palo Alto, Calif.; Philadelphia, Penn.; Raleigh, N.C.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Francisco, Calif.; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Durham, N.C.; Somerville, Mass.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Saint Paul, Minn.; Sacramento, Calif.; and Seattle, Wash. Non-city participants include Durham County, N.C., and State of Rhode Island.