Meet
Smart Columbus
Smart Columbus is our region’s innovation lab. We address our community’s most pressing problems by advancing what is new and next at the intersection of technology and community good.
Where innovation serves everyone
We bring together public, private, and nonprofit partners to tackle complex challenges, co-creating solutions that improve life for everyone in Central Ohio.
Digital opportunity
Over 80,000 households in Franklin County lack home internet access. A network of 60+ organizations is implementing comprehensive digital access solutions through the ConnectUS initiative.
Coordinated care
Everyone deserves to live with dignity, but no one can achieve economic stability alone — and no one agency can do it all. The Community Information Exchange (CIE) Initiative connects health and human services, making it easier for residents to get the help they need.
Stronger futures
Columbus has become the fastest-growing Midwest metros and one of the top 10 fastest-growing U.S. cities. From electrifying mobility to piloting new tech, our work reduces friction so residents can live, work, and thrive in place.
Creating our regional advantage
Cities that invest in quality of life attract both capital and talent. We choose projects with a clear current need that will also future-proof our region. Our modernization efforts have already added an estimated $173 million to our regional economy since 2016. Our vision is to make Columbus a national model for what community-centered innovation can look like.
We’re working to realize a better life now and into the future.
Powered by community
We have convened and collaborated with over 300 organizations across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, as well as individual residents. We align needs, surface priorities, and build buy-in to move forward together. Then, through a step-by-step approach, we prototype, pilot, and refine until ideas are ready for real-world impact.
A legacy of impact
Founded by a groundbreaking federal Smart Cities grant in 2016, Smart Columbus has been working hard to co-design a city where everyone thrives. Today, we continue to turn bold ideas into practical solutions.
Learn More About Smart Columbus
Visit the Smart Columbus website to learn about our approach, current work, and how to collaborate with us.