Our Story
iNeighborhoods builds upon the success of pioneering community development models, including the Brookings Institution’s innovation district framework and the transformative Kansas City Google Fiber and Chattanooga Gig initiatives.
It all began in March 2011, when Google launched its Kansas City Fiber initiative. Native St. Louisan Dave Sandel played a pivotal role, advising the Kansas City Mayors’ Bistate Innovation Team (MBIT) and co-authoring the MBIT playbook, Playing to Win in America’s Digital Crossroads. This groundbreaking document established the civic, educational, and economic infrastructure necessary to create successful Gigabit Cities and has since become a key resource for Smart City and high-speed internet community development.
The Brookings Report
Innovation neighborhoods differ significantly from innovation districts. As outlined in the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program report, “The Rise of Innovation Districts: A New Geography of Innovation in America,” innovation districts are compact, transit-accessible areas where anchor institutions, start-ups, and accelerators cluster. These districts often cater to individuals and organizations accustomed to university or institutional settings.
Innovation neighborhoods, on the other hand, are inherently inclusive. They are designed to attract talent from all walks of life, regardless of education or economic status. These neighborhoods thrive on the diversity of ideas and experiences, offering higher socio-economic impact potential than innovation districts.
Kansas City’s Lessons
The Kansas City Google Fiber initiative demonstrated that while high-speed infrastructure is essential, several factors influence the success of Smart City and innovation efforts:
- Building an all-fiber city is expensive and time-intensive.
- Economic development benefits are needed sooner rather than later.
- High-speed infrastructure doesn’t need to be everywhere at once in the early stages.
- Wireless technology plays an increasingly significant role.
- Few experts have experience in maximizing socio-economic gains through Smart City initiatives.
- Inclusion must be a key design principle.
Most critically, high-speed Internet is necessary but not sufficient for realizing the socio-economic potential of Smart Cities. High-impact Smart Cities are 90% sociology and 10% infrastructure, requiring talent access and collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystems to achieve meaningful outcomes.
National League of Cities Report
The National League of Cities’ (NLC) City of the Future – The Future of Work series highlights societal and technological shifts impacting the American workforce. It provides actionable solutions for city leaders to navigate these changes. This report aligns with the iNeighborhoods vision of fostering high-value job creation while managing the technological and societal transformations that come with it.
Post-COVID: A New Opportunity
The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped how communities live, work, and interact, emphasizing the importance of resilience, inclusivity, and digital transformation. Remote work, e-commerce, and telehealth adoption surged, underscoring the need for Smart City technologies and innovation neighborhoods.
iNeighborhoods leverages these shifts to reimagine urban and rural development. Our approach prioritizes adaptability, blending physical and digital spaces to create hybrid environments where residents and businesses thrive. By embracing lessons from the pandemic, we empower communities to address emerging challenges while fostering long-term growth and equity.
Summary
iNeighborhoods is a cost-effective, forward-thinking solution that helps cities and neighborhoods achieve inclusive socio-economic impact. By attracting new residents, start-ups, and high-value jobs, iNeighborhoods delivers results faster than traditional models.
Building upon the success of the Brookings innovation district model, Kansas City Google Fiber, and Chattanooga Gig experiences, iNeighborhoods adapts these principles for the post-COVID era, creating resilient, inclusive, and connected communities ready for the future.
