Veterans Building Smart Cities
On Tuesday, March 22, Prosper and Apple hosted The State of the Smart Cities Movement, a panel discussion led by veterans, on how increased data and technology can pose both challenges and opportunities for individual citizens, and public and private sector entities.
It’s time to capture the tremendous upside to global urbanization.
These uniquely skilled panelists have something in common. They are all former members of the military and are currently active in the veteran entrepreneur platform, Prosper—an organization that empowers, and promotes New York City’s veteran business community by bringing together veteran entrepreneurs and corporate, government, and academic partners in value-added projects.
“Smart Cities is a movement that needs serious attention from government and the private sector,” said Dan McSweeney, Chair of Prosper and President of the United War Veterans Council.
The panelists focused on the importance of data sharing and analytics, both for maintaining quality of life and for preserving it on our urbanized planet. Although there are challenges, this is also a time to capture the tremendous upside to global urbanization.
Speakers included:
- Brendan Hart, the CEO of Prosper and adjunct in the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps program.
- Jerry Hultin, the chairman of Global Futures Group who is active in planning Smart Cities NYC ’16, to be held in October at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
- Greg Parsons, the CEO of Semper Capital Management, an independent investment management firm specializing in residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities.
- Elana Duffy, the CEO of Pathfinder, an online ratings resource for veterans.
Veterans have developed skills that underpin entrepreneurial success.
Because of their extraordinary experiences and excellent training, these veterans have developed skills that underpin entrepreneurial success – split-second problem solving, tested leadership, complex systems thinking, and familiarity with emerging technology. These qualities all make them an asset to The Smart Cities Movement.
To learn more about Prosper’s incubation program, training and partnership opportunities, visit: http://prosper.vet/
Contact Capalino’s Senior Vice President Tom Gray to learn more about our proactive approach to connecting technology and government. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Tom uses his experience in city government to assist clients in land use matters, business development, and community relations.
Tom Gray, Senior Vice President
Sign up for our weekly newsletter here to keep up with the latest news in New York.
