Ranking: Boston among top 3 smartest cities in North America

(fastcoexist.com, November 14, 2013)

Smart cities find ways to become more efficient, to deliver more services via mobile technology, to optimize existing infrastructure, and to leverage citizen participation to create better land-use decisions and to break down bureaucracy in order to stimulate a creative, entrepreneurial economy. In short, smart cities are innovative cities. In the 2013 ranking of the smartest cities of North America, Boston is, along with Seattle and San Francisco, among the top 3. Boston has an incredibly smart and innovative population, boasting more than 70 universities and leading North America in both patents per capita and venture capital investment per capita. The city's effort is visible through the launch of the Innovation District, the creation of the Office of New Urban Mechanics, and support for acceleration programs, like the MassChallenge. Boston is also excelling in the smart government arena.