Smart Cities NYC
SmartCities NYC is a newly-minted conference & exposition that explores theintersection of technology and urban life. Presented recently in therevitalized Brooklyn Navy Yard, the inaugural event was sponsored by Microsoftand featured world-renowned speakers, a cutting edge exposition, workshops,panels, parties, and a multitude of public events drawing attendees from aroundthe world.
For the past several years Smart Cities events have been heldglobally, bringing together hundreds of local, national, and internationalorganizations from government, academic, public, and private sectors inBarcelona, Istanbul, Kyoto, Casablanca, and Puebla to focus attention on urbaninnovation and to bring together businesses and institutions interested infinding the best solutions.
In 2017, Global Futures Group and Emergence Creative, in partnership with the NYC Mayor's Office ofTechnology and Innovation,engaged Empire as its Producer to launch the Smart Cities’ NYC conference.
Inspired to meet the growing interest in pioneering urban solutions that are defining and transforming cities around the world, Smart Cities was organized around three major concepts – innovation, infrastructure, and inclusion. Smart Cities NYC’17 focused specifically on the importance ofcitizen participation in making cities ‘smart’. With over250 speakers, Smart Cities NYC’17 covered a broad range of important topics from cybersecurity and cloud computing, to technology forthe disabled, mental health, big data, drones, rooftop urban agriculture,shared housing, transportation, and infrastructure.
Some of the noteworthy speakers and participants included: Toni Townes-Whitley - Corporate VicePresident Worldwide Public Sector,Microsoft (tech and education), Miguel Gamiño Jr.- Chief Technology Officer, City of New York (civic tech & innovation), Daniel Doctoroff - Founder and CEO of Google’s Sidewalk Labs, RachelHaot-Managing Director,1776 (global incubator & seed funding),Robert Wolf– Chairman and Co-Founder, Measure: Drone as a Service (dronesolutions), Abby Joseph Cohen- Senior Investment Strategist, Goldman Sachs, Richard Park– CEO, CityMD (tech solutions for healthcare),David Rothkopf– CEO and Editor, FP Group (global foreign policy insight& analysis), Gregory Treverton– Former Chairman, National Intelligence Council (U.S. Intelligence Community), Andrew Right– Former Counselor, U.S. Secretary of Transportation (transportation & infrastructure), Stacey Gillett – Senior Program Officer, Bloomberg Philanthropies, James Ramsey-Co-Founder and Creator, Lowline anddeveloper Lela Goren of the Goren Group amongst many more.
Simultaneously the eventfeatured an exhibit hall and Business to Business trade show that included interactivedemonstrations from sponsors ranging from Microsoft,Verizon, Union Point, BostonProperties/Dock72, German Areospace, Victor+Stanley, BMW/Urban X, PBSC Urban Solutions,Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands among many others. At the expo, lead sponsor Microsoft showcased HoloLens - the first self-contained, holographic computer, enablingparticipants to engage with digital content and interact with holograms in theworld around them. As well, Measure: Drone as a Service demonstrating its turnkey drone solutions via the DJI Inspire 2,the first filmmaking drone in the world to integrate HD video transmission.
On the final day Smart Cities NYC’17 hosted STEAM AHEAD, a day of citizenengagement to help New Yorkers access the information they need to betterprepare them for the demands of the modern workforce. From challenging highschool students to think big with moonshot projects, to creating employmentopportunities for our country’s veterans, to helping people seek meaningfulcareers in technology, STEAM AHEAD brought companies, nonprofits, andgovernment departments together with members of the community to discuss thechallenges and opportunities of work in the 21st century.
The four-dayevent culminated in a by-invite-only “Humans of the Year” Closing Night Party, hosted by Smart Cities NYC’17 media partner, VICE Motherboard, and Prius Prime. Vice Motherboard and Smart Cities NYC invited over 500guests to enjoy closing night cocktails and custom projectioninstallations in the cavernous Duggal Greenhouse space as well as on thepicturesque East River waterfront.
Itsplacement in the Duggal Greenhouse, whereHillaryClintonandBernieSandersdebatedlast spring, showcased Brooklyn’s increased standing in the world oftechnology. And in the past year, the Brooklyn Navy Yard has been host to twotech hubs opening up there: New Lab, a workspace for manufacturing anddesign firms, and 1776NY, a startup incubator.
Empire served as overall producer of Smart Cities NYC and wasresponsible for project management, production design, technical production,staging, production of digital media content liaison with all exhibiting sponsors,staffing, catering (through a partnership with the New York Food TruckAssociation) and café area. Additionally, Empire’s team worked closely withGlobal Futures, Microsoft, VICE and other partners to facilitate each partner’sactivation and to supervise the overall guest experience.
Empire is proud to have served as producer of the inaugural SmartCities NYC and to have supported this important thought leadership platform.
To learn more about Smart Cities NYC visit http://smartcitiesnyc.com
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
