History
The Board of Trade had a vision for how the region’s business community could drive modern, “smart city” technology throughout the Greater Washington region. Cities around the world are using sensors, advanced data analytics, high speed wireless connectivity, and many other technologies to improve traffic lights, transit systems, utilities, and countless other facets of daily metropolitan life. The Board of Trade asked, could we do that here, as a region?
Today, we must unite to think beyond incremental improvements to existing systems and processes and design new ones that meet multiple desired outcomes that benefit from the application of exciting new technologies.
Igniting a Smart Region Movement: A Primer (2018)
Under Jack McDougle’s leadership, the Board of Trade formally launched the Greater Washington Smart Region Movement with the Consortium of Universities and the Council of Governments in March of 2019. This partnership model was designed to facilitate a deeper, more meaningful level of collaboration across sectors and jurisdictions in Greater Washington.
Since then, the initiative has gained many important new project partners and its scope has expanded to include a wider variety of potential regional projects beyond smart city technology. It was also re-branded Connected DMV in October 2019.
The Board of Trade served as strategic host for this program through March 2020. It provided operational support and strategic guidance while the program developed. In April 2020, Connected DMV was incorporated as an independent 501-c3 organization. The Board of Trade, represented by Jack McDougle, remains a regional collaborator.
Learn more about Connected DMV at www.connecteddmv.org