# 21st Century Cities: A Primer

> A “101” Overview of Technology and Innovation at the Local Level

URL: https://abhinemani.com/essays/2018/06/27/21st-century-cities-a-primer-8d88b0c481e0/
Published: 2018-06-27
Author: Abhi Nemani

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!["What's Working Where" title card](https://abhinemani.com/img/1__9xdptnb4YnxLme2CxeqOqA__2x.jpeg)

What does a 21st century city look like?

That’s a question I’m asked fairly often.

Indeed, I’m often tasked with giving an introduction on local government innovation — to new mayors, potential investors, etc — and after a couple dozen hacked together presentations, I decided to put some effort into it, and put together this document.

[**21st Century Cities, Technology & Innovation - An Overview**
_technological optimist and political philosophy nerd. writer, speaker, maker. Published on A "101" primer from…_www2.slideshare.net](https://www2.slideshare.net/anemani10/21st-century-cities-technology-innovation-an-overview-103000495 "https://www2.slideshare.net/anemani10/21st-century-cities-technology-innovation-an-overview-103000495")[](https://www2.slideshare.net/anemani10/21st-century-cities-technology-innovation-an-overview-103000495)

Since the definition of a “21st Century City” seems elusive, or controversial, I did what I do: tell some stories.

It’s a kind of “greatest hits” with simple examples and takeaways from three key areas of impact from the last few years: digital services, data science/analytics, and civic entrepreneurship. It closes with a high-level set of recommendations including policy and staffing. This way it works as a presentation or a leave behind.

I’ve found it helpful in various setting — conferences, pitches, and just casual conversations — so in the interest of transparency, I figured I’d share it publicly.

Share, comment, and critique freely.

[_EthosLabs_](http://ethoslabs.us) _is a government innovation consultancy designed to help cities and startups work together to embrace this opportunity. If your city or company is interested in working together, get in touch: hello@ethoslabs.us_