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The World’ s Smart21 Communities of 2015

smart21-2015The Intelligent Community Forum today named the world’ s Smart21 Communities of 2015. The Smart21 Communities of 2015 is comprised of five communities from the United States, four communities from Australia, four communities from Taiwan, three communities from Canada, and one community each from Brazil, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya and New Zealand.

Perhaps surprisingly, no European or Chinese community appears on this year’ s list. Thirteen communities reappeared on the list, with the ICF’ s first Kazakhstani city making the Smart21.

The Smart21 of 2015

  • Arlington County, Virginia, USA
  • Astana, Kazakhstan
  • Aurora, Illinois, USA
  • Changhua County, Taiwan
  • Columbus, Ohio, USA
  • Dubuque, Iowa, USA
  • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • Ipswich, Queensland, Australia
  • Mitchell, South Dakota, USA
  • Nairobi County, Kenya
  • New Taipei City, Taiwan
  • Prospect, South Australia, Australia
  • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
  • Shiojiri City, Japan
  • Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
  • Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
  • Taitung County, Taiwan
  • Taoyuan County, Taiwan
  • Whanganui, New Zealand
  • Whittlesea, Victoria, Australia

We have started the search for Toronto’ s successor. More important, our analysts have selected 21 communities that have shown progress in their attempt to make the leap to Intelligent Community status. The Revolutionary Community theme for 2015 is perfect for this group. Not all of them are cities, towns or regions that people immediately think of as ‘˜tech cities.’ Tech is not all there is to a great community. Some are aspirational but all have launched programs that are innovative, and will do something that most cities, towns and regions have been attempting since the broadband economy emerged: launch a successful and full-scale full revolt against brain drain and the creation of industries that will produce jobs.

The Smart21 will complete detailed questionnaires on their challenges, opportunities and results. An independent research firm analyzes these questionnaires to narrow the list to the Top7 Intelligent Communities, which we will announce in January. Still more analysis and inspection tours of the Top7 follow until, in June, ICF will name one of them as the Intelligent Community of the Year at ICF’ s Summit in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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