ideas for an innovation ecosystem for smart cities...harvard study re: startup companies 667...

IDEAS FOR AN INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM

FOR SMART CITIESTodd Russell, Dr. Gerald Turner, and Phillip Andrews

July 2019

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-andrews-748574/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillip-andrews-748574/

WHO WE ARE

• A Non-Profit Innovation Center for Smart Cities, called International

Innovation Centers. It used to be the National RFID Center.

• We consist of several independent consultants and firms that have

implemented strategic plans for several cities in Europe, Asia and Africa

• We participated in assisting the Revitalize South Dallas Coalition in

convincing the City Of Dallas to add an Innovation Hub at Fair Park

• We have served as Board Members and/or Mentors for several

Innovation Centers, including STARtech, DFW Innovation Centers,

and SMU’s Entrepreneurship Club!

International Innovation Centers 4

WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF STRANGE THINGS THE LAST FEW DECADES

• Incubators came and went –- they failed as often and as easily as any

other startup company. Well over 50% of them failed

• Most Incubators were not real Incubators --- they knew very little about

innovation … and did very little to help entrepreneurs and startup

companies. Most Accelerators were not any better

• Most Incubators and Accelerators had no real focus or specific area of

endeavor or expertise. They were trying to be all things to all people


HARVARD STUDY RE: STARTUP COMPANIES

667 companies started ➔

167 still alive after 2 years ➔

8 Survived after 5 years ➔

1 Thrived after 5 years (making over $10M/year)


Innovation Centers take

part of the blame for not

helping startups get out of

the starting gate on the

right foot.

The bitter truth is that

most Innovation Centers

are nothing more than

Co-Working Spaces

OUR TEAM OF PARTNERS HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH SMART CITY INITIATIVES IN:

• Barcelona

• Dublin

• Lisbon

• Dubai

• Nairobi

• Austin


… and we are in process of

initiating talks in three States

(in LA, NJ, and FL).

We are also talking to gov. reps

in France … and Somalia.

Currently involved with Smart

Cities private initiatives in

L.A., San Antonio, Wichita, and

South Dallas.

OUR DIFFERENTIATORS (PART OF OUR VALUE PROPOSITION)

• Hands-on experience with Smart Cities Strategic Planning (worldwide)

• We know how to assist in Smart Cities Transformations

• We know ho to “connect all the dots”, including Smart Education, Smart

Health Care, Smart Business and Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0), Smart

Culture … Smart City Ecosystems

• We have the right experts for Hackathons

• Offering the best Smart Cities workshop to (up to 2 days long)


INVENTING A BRIGHT FUTURE WITH SMART CITY

INITIATIVESPART 1

Phil Andrews

International Innovation Centers

(PARTIAL)

AGENDA

(WE OFFER UP TO A FULL DAY

FREE WORKSHOP –CUSTOMIZED TO MEET OUR CLIENT’S NEEDS)

Understanding The Megatrends and

Their Implications

The Need And Urgency For Smart

Cities

Defining Smart Cities The Right Way

Who Is Doing What Around The Country

And Around The Planet

Top Lessons Learned

The Right Approach For Moving Forward

24 Self-Funded Projects/Initiatives

For Smart Cities

Obtaining Funding For Smart Cities’

Initiatives

12


FIRST, TWO KEY REALIZATIONS

1. Becoming a Smart City is NOT an option. It is a must! All key

cities around the world are becoming “Smart”. They have to …

because it is the emergence of a new era and a new civilization!

2. Smart Cities are a lot more than having a great technical

infrastructure. Smart Cities also address: Smart Culture, Smart

Education, Smart Mobility, Smart Health Care, Smart Factories … and

Smart Everything



https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/why-smart-cities-should-listen-to-residents/

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/04/why-smart-cities-should-listen-to-residents/

AND TWO NUGGETS OF WISDOM


7 KEY INGREDIENT FOR SMART CITIES :

1. A Bold Strategy and a Vision for the City’s Future

2. The right Zones/Districts for:

• Innovation

• Art and Culture

• Business/Industry (Advanced Manufacturing, Biomedical …)

• Entertainment (incl. Eating, Drinking and Celebrating)

• Activities and Sports



17

Smart Cities terminology is becoming

obsolete because most Mayors and

citizens think that “smart” refers only to

technologies and the technical

infrastructure.

The focus of Smart Cities is primarily on

citizens and society at large.

For more info, please contact us to obtain

the right white papers that fully explain

where the focus should really be.

7 KEY INGREDIENT FOR SMART CITIES: (CONT’D)

3. The right leaders that think outside-the-box

4. The right magnets to attract the right people, industries,

and businesses. The problem is that most EDP Departments don’t know

how to raise the money to build and/or attract the right magnets

5. A Smart (Innovation) Culture that permeates all of society.

The Innovation Center or Hub plays a critical role in spreading, cultivating,

and advancing the Smart Culture


7 KEY INGREDIENT FOR SMART CITIES: (CONT’D)

6. The right Smart Infrastructures and Ecosystems.

Without them Smart Cities are DOA

7. An integrated approach that combines Green, Clean,

Lean, Sustainable, and Conscious principles and

solutions.

8. An Advanced Innovation Hub ➔ And that’s the focus of our

discussion today


… AND TEXAS IS NOT AMONG THE TOP-10 MOST INNOVATIVE STATES

• See: https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2017/03/28/the-10-most-and-

10-least-innovative-states-in-the-u-s/#56fe4e3610a6

• Moreover, McKinsey, Deloitte, PwC, Gartner, and other think tanks say the same thing about TX

• So, what happened to the claim that “DFW is The Silicon Valley Of The

South”?

• What happened to the Telecom Corridor? (It was greatly diminished)

• Where did the DFW Angels and VCs move to? (80% have moved out)


https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2017/03/28/the-10-most-and-10-least-innovative-states-in-the-u-s/#56fe4e3610a6

… AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BEST INNOVATION CENTER OF THE METROPLEX?

• It was called STARtech

• It went bankrupt!


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We must face reality!

Hype never saved a

company or a city!

Massive Urbanization

does not imply that a

major city is doing all

the right things with

innovation and

forward planning!

DIA AND THE DEC HAVE FILLED MOST OF THE VOID!


Initiatives•Dallas Open Data•Big Data Research Collaboration between UT Dallas and SMU•Oncor Microgrid Project•DART GoPass and Mobile Solutions•Dallas Police Department: iWatchDallas, Fusion Center•Smart Meters and Energy Efficiency Programs•Resilient Dallas plan via 100 Resilient Cities•Green Dallas and the Climate Action Plan in progress•Smart Streets and Mobility programs•Smart Light Poles and 5G deployments•Intelligent Traffic Signals [Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS)]•Cities of Learning•And many others ... if you are working on an initiative, please contact us


Without DIA and The DEC,

this Metroplex would have

been even further behind

… than it already is!

COLLECTIVELY WE CAN DO EVEN BETTER

• Dallas needs an even more aggressive and visible DIA and

The DEC! Here is one idea:

• Time to build/introduce an Advanced Innovation Hub

• (other cities, States, and countries have done so)


KEY CLARIFICATION

• The Innovation Hub is NOT just a building or a co-working space!

• The Innovation Hub is the heart and glue of the innovation ecosystem

for the entire city … and hopefully for the entire Metroplex

• The Innovation Hub is also the:

• Think Tank for Smart Cities and Industry 4.0 in the Metroplex

• Purveyor of the Smart Culture

• Accelerator and enabler of new technologies … industries … and jobs

See special

presentation


37

Key Note:

The Ecosystem

is one of the

most important

“Magnets”

to attract the

right people,

businesses, and

industries!

And there is more.

This is NOT the

complete picture

Academia• Universities

• CC

• HS

Think Tanks

SIGs

Vet Orgs

NPOs

NGOs

COCs

Social Ent.

The Media

Consortia

Affiliations

Technical

Societies

Etc.

Federal

State

Local

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EXAMPLES OF POTENTIAL PARTNERS OVER AND ABOVE OF WHAT YOU HAVE

• DCCCD

• BILT (Business and Industry Leadership Team)

• TMAC and MEP National Network

• Texas Consilium

• IMC and/or PMI Dallas

• Dallas Fort Worth Association Executives (DFWAE)

• NCTCOG

• Tech Titans


Innovation

Hub As The Glue

For The

Ecosystems

The HUB’s Role:

Become an

intermediary and

a truly integrative

force in the

Metroplex

DRC has the right

idea, but their

actions fall short!

40

Innovation Ecosystem

Government Ecosystem

Knowledge Ecosystem

Business Ecosystem

Innovation

Culture

41

POTENTIAL ROLES FOR AN ADVANCED INNOVATION HUB

• A Combinator (a mix of Incubator, Accelerator, Makerspace)

• A Research Center for specific technologies aiding specific industries

• A Consulting Firm (beyond mentoring and coaching)

• A Think Tank aiding with Smart Cities and Smart Manufacturing initiatives

• Aiding cities with culture changes, Outreach Programs, CEE Programs, etc.

• The Ecosystem "Manager" and Purveyor --- managing and advancing relationships

• An Event Organizer --- Conferences, Community Discussions, HACKATHONS, etc.

• The Knowledge Repository For Innovation --- rich Online Libraries


Note:Every

Innovation Hub

is different for

several

reasons!

BY THE WAY …

• The IEEE society was ready to help us bring a National Smart Cities

Conference to this Metroplex (for 2020) and all 18 Mayors that we

contacted turned us down! They didn’t see this as a good event for

them, although we showed them that they will make a sizeable profit

from the Conference, on top of getting great visibility, notoriety, and

prestige! Moreover, we were ready to bring in great speakers (high

level government officials) from Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea,

Japan, Canada, and several other countries!


The Hub is one of the

key mechanisms …

and part of the glue

behind the

Community!

The Hub plays a key

role in making a

Community better ---

work better, advance

faster, and prosper to

the max!

Isn't this what every

society is craving for?

Politicians cannot

achieve all that w/o the

help of The Hub!

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TWO KEY REALIZATIONS

1. Most Government Agencies and Departments suffer from severe

adherence and monolithic dedication to their Mission Statements,

which create Silo Thinking and Mentality. Anything outside the silo

is someone else's problem or issue.

2. They don't understand the value of Holistic Thinking and Holistic

Solutions. "Smart Cities" (by definition) is a Holistic approach to

becoming "cities of the future". The Innovation Hub enables the

City's initiatives by encouraging and enabling Holistic Thinking


WHY SILO MENTALITY HURTS SMART CITIES PROGRESS

• Each Department wants to get credit for its own achievements and

progress by pushing point solutions and improvements within their

own Department. 90% of the time point solutions are only promoting

continuous improvement type initiatives and projects.

• The real Smart Cities promote Systems or Holistic Thinking that

offer breakthrough solutions that are truly transformative, life-

changing, … and cathartic (even therapeutic)


WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE SILO MENTALITY?

• People are not interested in addressing and/or solving problems

outside their domain or charter. However, most modern problems

are too big and too complex to be solved by a one organization or

one person. We need to work together.


Water

Dept.

Parks

Dept.EMT Dept.

48

Water

Dept.

Parks

Dept.EMT Dept.

49

I am the new Chief

Innovation

Officer

Welcome

aboard! How

may I help

you?

Welcome

aboard! What

do you need

from us?

Welcome

aboard! This

is great! I

was waiting

for you!

The new approach:

A new executive in charge of Smart

Cities Initiatives

… and getting rid of the silo

mentality!

2 MAJOR FACTORS THAT IMPEDE INNOVATION HUBS

1. A Lethargic Culture (➔ High Resistance To Change)

• The Me-Myself-and-I mentality prevents and kills the collaborative

spirit

• Everyone wants to get the glory and recognition for themselves. This

Hero Mentality is counter-productive

2. Slow Funding Acquisition

• Cities, States, and major corporations must help fund the Hub(s)

because they benefit all of society. Creating an Innovation Culture is

critical to the advancement of all components and entities in society


KEY POINT ABOUT SMART CITIES TRANSFORMATION MANAGEMENT

• Unlike the business world where transformations are driven top-down,

in cities transformation must be driven both top-down and bottom-up.

And most change gurus do NOT know how to do that! Not even

McKinsey!

55

Here is proof:

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/leading-organizational-transformations

Their bottom-up

approach is

extremely limited,.,

and won’t work for

Smart Cities.

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/leading-organizational-transformations

MOREOVER …

• The Innovation Hub should be:

• The Catalyst for introducing PPPs that aid and invigorate

innovation

• The enabler for helping ALL segments of society, not just

entrepreneurs and startup companies

• Helping the vets, the poor, the elderly, all types of “dropouts” …


The DEC is an excellent idea and a great start,

but we can do even better together!

(https://thedec.co/)

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/19/17251788/mckinsey-artificial-intelligence-research-report-michael-chui

https://thedec.co/

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/19/17251788/mckinsey-artificial-intelligence-research-report-michael-chui

POSSIBLE PPP PARTNERS

• BOSCH

• BoA

• Intel

• SWA

• Peterbilt

• Dell

• Huawei

• Others

We have the key

contacts in those

organizations!


We need to brainstorm re:

a Mega Project

(beyond DCCCD’s mega project)

that will bring one or more of these

players to the table!

• A new Innovation Zone for Dallas?

• Fair Park (as a pilot for NextGen

Smart City)?

• A Smart Mobility System for DFW

(beyond DART)?

WHY DALLAS NEEDS A SMART MEGA PROJECT

• It is the best way to educate and elucidate people about Smart Cities

and their value to the community as a whole and to individual citizens

• It is also the best way to change the culture

• And it is also the best way to attract new companies and top talent …

and even give birth to new industries (that will be emerging from the

4th Industrial Revolution)


… AND THERE IS EVEN MORE TO ADD TO THE INNOVATION HUB

• We are ready, willing and available to discuss all the additional “Bells and

Whistles” that one could add, and should add, to the Innovation Hub.

• Please call: Todd Russell, Dr. Gerald Turner, or Phil Andrews to set an

appointment.

• Thanks!


ideas for an innovation ecosystem for smart cities...harvard study re: startup companies 667...

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