Companies not endemic to the housing industry are doing 'social good' by looking at new solutions for affordable housing and urban development that will lead to more prosperous economies. This Government Technology article showcases how Mastercard is getting involved with several cities, including Austin, the host city for the 2019 HIVE conference.
Mastercard’s City Possible network of local governments working together on innovation projects has expanded from 16 to 23, adding new members from three continents.
The network, launched in November, is leaning on the expertise of former New York City Chief Technology Officer Miguel Gamiño, who joined the company last year with an eye on helping cities solve problems. That’s what City Possible is about: bringing together city leaders from across the world who have the same problems, and using their collective brainpower to help tackle those issues.
The seven new cities joining the network are:
- San Jose, Calif.
- Austin, Texas
- Wichita, Kan.
- Erie, Pa.
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Guarulhos, Brazil
- Belfast, U.K.
In a LinkedIn post, Gamiño also announced that the insurance brokerage and risk management firm Willis Towers Watson is signing on as an industry partner to City Possible.
“What unites this tribe of urban leaders is a fundamental belief in the superpower of collaboration: the opportunity for cities to build on each other’s progress,” Gamiño wrote in the post. “Whether you like or dis-like the 'smart city' moniker, I believe there is one thing we can all agree on: For thousands of years, communities have progressed by embracing diverse ideas and people from other places.”
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