If the states are “laboratories of democracy,” as Justice Louis Brandeis famously said, then cities can be the petri dishes for technological innovation. With fewer bureaucratic hurdles than both the federal or state governments, and the opportunity for charismatic mayors to drive local change, cities around the United States and the world are experimenting with new ways to use technology to create business opportunities and improve citizens’ lives. They have also been pioneers in data-driven innovation and especially in the use of public or “open” data, to reshape the urban environment. Major cities are hiring Chief Data Officers – Los Angeles was the latest to do so – and they’re working with tech entrepreneurs to find new solutions in transportation, health care, education, and many other areas of civic life.
