IBMÂ (NYSE: IBM) has selected 16 cities and counties around the world to receive $500, 000 worth of consulting services each as part of the company’s Smarter Cities initiative.
The company launched the annual grant program in 2011 to help government agencies develop solutions for water, food, public safety, employment, transportation and environmental problems, IBM said Tuesday.
“By collaborating with our experts, local governments will be receiving valuable counsel that could very well influence the success of issues that are foremost on the local agenda, ” said Jennifer Crozier, IBM vice president of global citizenship initiatives.
“We hope to be a useful resource to the winning cities and regions and be a catalyst for progress, ” Crozier added.
IBM has deployed a total of 600 professionals over the past three years to work with public and private sector leaders on smart city projects.
This year’s grant recipients include:
- Baton Rouge, La.
- Birmingham, Ala.
- Dallas, Texas
- Suffolk County, Va.
- Abuja, Nigeria
- Ballarat, Australia
- Brussels, Belgium
- Dublin, Ireland
- Durban, South Africa
- Jinan, China
- Mombasa County, Kenya
- Niigata, Japan
- Perth, Australia
- Tainan, Taiwan
- Vilnius, Lithuania
- Zapopan, Mexico
