The Intelligent Community

Fast Company Magazine shocked a lot of people when it published its list of the most Innovative Companies for Economic Development and – whoa! – a city appeared. An Intelligent Community in the USA state of Ohio: Hilliard.  The ICF network knows Hilliard as one of the leading cities and a two-time Top7 community. But this was a big-time recognition. How much of it had to do with being an Intellige...

Fast Company Magazine shocked a lot of people when it published its list of the most Innovative Companies for Economic Development and – whoa! – a city appeared. An Intelligent Community in the USA state of Ohio: Hilliard. The ICF network knows Hilliard as one of the leading cities and a two-time Top7 community. But this was a big-time recognition. How much of it had to do with being an Intelligen...

The  Top7 Communities of 2025  will be announced in  Las Rozas de   Madrid , Spain – a Smart21 Community and leading community in Spanish intelligent community development. Las Rozas is a city of just under 100,000 people, and is home to nearly 15,000 companies and self-employed workers. Its success has been from a combination of strong mayoral leadership, multi-level workforce development, and an...

Canada has contributed more Intelligent Communities to the ICF global network than any other country. In 2025 Canada once again placed four of its regions and cities on the list of ICF's Smart21, the first step in the annual Awards program. How does Canada achieve this hard-won annual goal? And what do this year's communities have to say about sustainability, economic development… and that little...

Canada has contributed more Intelligent Communities to the ICF global network than any other country. In 2025 Canada once again placed four of its regions and cities on the list of ICF's Smart21, the first step in the annual Awards program. How does Canada achieve this hard-won annual goal? And what do this year's communities have to say about sustainability, economic development… and that little...

Doug McCollough has been CIO of leading digital cities, including Dublin, Ohio where he helped lead that small city to multiple awards, including ICF's Top7. He recently took over the role of Executive Director for the ICF Institute, and was recently names the first-ever Executive Director of the Beta District, which spans several cities in the most important industrial corridor of Central Ohio. A...

Guyana is defined by its dense rainforest. Culturally connected to the Caribbean region, it has become a richer country due to its oil production and GDP per capita. But it has high levels of poverty. Especially in the rural areas. One person with an understanding of connectivity from his years in the satellite and telecommunications industries decided to go back home to tackle this fundamental is...

The New York City's Department of Parks' first Director of Data Analytics who contributed the key ingredients to the success of the city's Million Trees Research Conference and knows her way around urban forests discusses her new venture, Helpful Places, and how digital trust can be imbedded in the organization of community governments.  It's a fascinating conversation with one of the world's most...

The New York City's Department of Parks' first Director of Data Analytics who contributed the key ingredients to the success of the city's Million Trees Research Conference and knows her way around urban forests discusses her new venture, Helpful Places, and how digital trust can be imbedded in the organization of community governments.  It's a fascinating conversation with one of the world's most...

A fun, informative and rolling conversation with the three founders of ICF and the movement, along with its Executive Director. The group discusses the holistic approach to economic and social development and explains why cities from Ohio to Taiwan to Brazil share similar approaches on their successful journeys. They conclude by sharing their top seven trends for cities in 2025. Our moderator and...

A fun, informative and rolling conversation with the three founders of ICF and the movement, along with its Executive Director. The group discusses the holistic approach to economic and social development and explains why cities from Ohio to Taiwan to Brazil share similar approaches on their successful journeys. They conclude by sharing their top seven trends for cities in 2025. Our moderator and...

In part one of this conversation, you heard the world's most Intelligent Community of the Year tell you how they have used innovation and planning to evolve into one of the world's elite cities. Today, I want to go deeper to the core of this whole movement and listen as Dario Paixao tells you unequivocally that what is being done in creative can be a model for 398 communities in his state model th...

Curitiba, Brazil. Ever heard of it? Ever been there? Ever seen or read stories about the building of its railroad and its history of innovation? Ever wonder how a city can be sustainable and flourishing? How about Rafael Greca? Ever heard of him? The outgoing Mayor of Curitiba is one of the most amazing people in the intelligent community movement – and a politician who is such an authentic human...

Continuing our look at mistrust of government, doxing and the implications of digital technology on Intelligent Communities, Lou speaks with theformer Mayor of  Stratford , Canada, Dan Mathieson.  Considered one of Canada's best mayors, whose tech-savvy insights led is city to three Top7 placements, he is into a new concept, "Immersive Cities." Mathieson also talks about his own experience with co...

Continuing our look at mistrust of government, doxing and the implications of digital technology on Intelligent Communities, Lou speaks with theformer Mayor of  Stratford , Canada, Dan Mathieson.  Considered one of Canada's best mayors, whose tech-savvy insights led is city to three Top7 placements, he is into a new concept, "Immersive Cities." Mathieson also talks about his own experience with co...

What are the corrosive impacts of AI? Are there ways to offset some of the more negative trends in our communities and make technologies instruments of joy rather than menaces? What causes acted-out anger against mayors, council members, school boards, jurists and journalists? What is at the root of this community fragmentation?   In the second episode of the ICF's series on doxxing, we continue t...

What are the corrosive impacts of AI? Are there ways to offset some of the more negative trends in our communities and make technologies instruments of joy rather than menaces? What causes acted-out anger against mayors, council members, school boards, jurists and journalists? What is at the root of this community fragmentation?   In this first episode of the ICF's series on doxxing, we begin a co...

The CEO and Founder of Bable Smart Cities in Germany is on a mission: to accelerate change for a better urban life by helping a city or a region's stakeholders create sustainable, innovative, and inclusive places. How's he doing?   And why is his company called "Bable??" In this episode we speak with Alexander Schmidt, whose company has been working on process of improvement for cities and which i...

  A nation of 23 million people that punches far above its weight is a subject of study and fascination around the world. Its prowess in semi-conductor technology is just the beginning.  Much of Taiwan's success comes from the way it has designed its cities and the way its culture embraces innovation, ideas from everywhere and implements them in a process that continues to modernize its economy, w...

In a year when democracies around the world go to the voting polls to select leaders and representatives in nations and local towns and regions, we see much has changed due to an adoption of the "Intelligent Community" idea and through the evolution of technologies like broadband and AI, which have crept into our daily lives.  The COVID Pandemic altered our rhythms and impacted our local economies...

In a year when democracies around the world go to the voting polls to select leaders and representatives in nations and local towns and regions, we see much has changed due to an adoption of the "Intelligent Community" idea and through the evolution of technologies like broadband and AI, which have crept into our daily lives.  The COVID Pandemic altered our rhythms and impacted our local economies...

The "Heartland" of the United States is a geographical expanse that is breathtaking in its size and scope.  Covering 20 states, from North Dakota to Texas, it is among the most diverse places on the globe. Yet for the past decades it has underperformed the "Services" economies of America's coastal states and cities.  But that is changing dramatically thanks to the efforts of groups like Heartland...

In this episode of The Intelligent Community, ICF Co-Founder Lou Zacharilla speaks with  Ambassador Jarmo Sareva,  Finland's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs before being named the country's first Ambassador for Innovation. Sareva was Finland's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs before being named the country's first Ambassador for Innovation.  These two jobs were central to the success of Finland, which is...

Sareva was Finland's Ambassador for Cyber Affairs before being named the country's first Ambassador for Innovation.  These two jobs were central to the success of Finland, which is known for its innovation in technology and the development of showcase cities, including ICF's 2018 Intelligent Community of the Year, Espoo . He also served in directorships at the UN's Office for Disarmament Affairs a...

In this second episode, best-selling author of the "Overview Effect" Frank White talks about the hope and plan he has to establish a group of people who will be the heart and soul of bringing the overview effect "down to Earth." How can experiencing a vision of unity and a tightly-knit community off the planet ("the overview effect") improve communities on it? Mr. White is at his fascinating best...