Chicago, Mastercard And GCBA Launch Tech Pilot Program

The Windy City is looking to improve its digital infrastructure with the help of the Global Cities Business Alliance (GCBA) and Mastercard. The three-way partnership plans on identifying ways that the technology sector can help the public sector.

The program is a pilot that will come at zero cost to Chicago taxpayers. It will promote city-led projects involving subject matter experts, technical authorities and local and civic organizations — all to strengthen the connection between the city and the technology sector.

An evaluation of the pilot will identify insight for the future of the business, city and tech communities working together. This will be presented at the Global Cities Symposium in New York in June 2017.

GCBA, which launched in June of last year with the mayor of London’s support, is known for providing a forum for business and city leaders to collaborate and define initiatives to improve the socioeconomic climate of cities. In terms of the tech business in Chicago, it calls itself a “living lab” within which GCBA can explore certain issues.

Hany Fam, EVP of Mastercard enterprise partnerships, said Mastercard applauds “the City of Chicago for pioneering a ‘living lab’ – as an optimized interaction between cities and their tech sectors can help drive inclusive growth and a better quality of life.”

The Global Cities Business Alliance plans to expand the concept and pilot it out to other global cities in the future.