Smart city experts should be looking to emerging markets. Here’s why
Most smart city innovation has been focused on the world's wealthier urban centres rather than the developing world - but could they have it the wrong way round?
Based in Nairobi, Katie is currently a Senior Advisor to Omidyar Network (impact investment firm with $1.2B deployed) and Dalberg Global Advisors (advisory firm with 9 offices in Africa). Most recently, Katie launched and led Apple’s Clean Energy Program, an ambitious program to transition Apple's product manufacturing worldwide to renewable energy. Her team enabled 3GW of new clean energy contracted for Apple production in less than 2 years, primarily in China. Katie led >10 joint-ventures in renewable energy across 6 provinces in China and co-led Apple’s first issuance of a $1.5 billion green bond - the largest of any US company. Before Apple, she spent 5 years with Acumen, primarily in India. She launched Acumen’s Energy Portfolio there and currently sits on Acumen's Advisory Council. A TED Fellow and World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader,” she has a Stanford MBA and an MS in Environment & Resources. Katie has lived and worked for more than 6 years in East Africa and South Asia. Her work experience also includes McKinsey & Company, Generation Investments, and Dalberg Global Advisors.
Most smart city innovation has been focused on the world's wealthier urban centres rather than the developing world - but could they have it the wrong way round?
En 2025, habrá 100 ciudades africanas con más de un millón de habitantes.
Les citoyens de l'Afrique, au nombre de 1,1 milliard, devraient probablement être deux fois plus d'ici 2050, et plus de 80 % de cette augmentation se produira dans les villes.
Electric vehicles could reduce costly fuel subsidies and imports, improve air quality and store the region's abundant renewable energy.
If Africa does not find a way to build sustainable cities with greater access to private capital, then they risk becoming both unlivable and indebted. A new mindset is urgently required.