Smart Columbus

Smart Columbus continues to leverage technology and innovation to improve quality of life in our community, especially for neighbors in need.

As Columbus has encountered unprecedented challenges and grappled with the realities of old ones, Smart Columbus has pursued solutions while simultaneously defining the initiative’s future.

Broaching the Digital Divide The “digital divide” separates those with access to technology and the web, from those who struggle to connect. As our community transitioned to learning and working from home this spring, this divide became even more apparent. Smart Columbus has begun working with the Columbus Metropolitan Library, The Columbus Foundation, MORPC, Columbus City Schools and others to develop a community-wide strategy to address this issue.

Solving Problems through Can’t Stop Columbus

In the early days of COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, Smart Columbus helped to establish Can’t Stop Columbus. Initially envisioned as a digital hackathon to solve community challenges exposed by the crisis, Can’t Stop Columbus has evolved into a network of more than 1,500 volunteers mobilizing in support of more than 50 projects that address issues from food distribution, to police reform, to the loneliness experienced by seniors.

Smart Columbus is exploring how to leverage skilled talent in Partnership companies to develop technology solutions to both short- and long-term community challenges.

New Innovation Projects to Increase Equity and Economic Opportunity

Sponsored by The Ohio State University in partnership with Schmidt Futures, the Alliance for the American Dream competition is designed to inspire policy ideas or startup concepts that increase net income for 10,000 local, middleclass households by 10% by 2022, either by raising income or decreasing cost of living.

Smart Columbus was an implementation partner on two projects that were finalists in the competition. Opportunity Port, led by Columbus City Councilman Rob Dorans, won the local competition and will proceed to compete for the $1 million national prize. The app seeks to eliminate barriers to criminal record sealing through an accessible app paired with ondemand legal assistance from the Legal Aid Society of Columbus and Equality Ohio.

ReadySkill, sponsored by the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, Columbus State Community College and United Way of Central Ohio, is an upskilling program designed to match students with future employers and wrap-around social services so that food, childcare and housing insecurity are not barriers to career advancement opportunities. It will continue development outside the competition.

SMART COLUMBUS (cont.)

Securing Commitments to Renewable Energy In June, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio approved Smart Columbus Energy, LLC as an energy aggregator and broker, permitting us to combine the energy investments of local energy buyers. As such, Smart Columbus will recruit organizations to purchase renewable energy through Smart Columbus Energy, and AEP Energy will invest in new wind and solar projects in the state of Ohio to fulfill the collective energy demand. This program will result in the creation of clean energy jobs and generate local tax revenue for Ohio communities, while generating revenues that we will re-invest into economic development and smart city projects.

Electrification Program Crosses the Finish Line In May, Smart Columbus announced that 3,323 electric vehicles were sold in Central Ohio from April 2017 to February 2020, exceeding the program’s goal of 3,200 EVs sold. The ROI of this program has exceeded that of traditional incentive and adoption programs. Highlights from the program are captured in a special section of the May issue of Columbus CEO. Continued efforts to electrify transportation will make our community stronger and more resilient.