DAVID GRAHAM
CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER
CITY OF CARLSBAD
The City of Carlsbad has always been future-thinking with long range plans for the management of housing, businesses, parks, roads and public safety. It has leaned into technology to connect with residents, visitors and businesses as it provides excellent customer service.
The city also has a long-standing reputation of working with businesses to support a thriving economy. With many technology firms, life sciences companies, and even video gaming businesses, the Carlsbad innovation economy is strong.
Future-ready cities engage openly with local companies to foster an environment that attracts the best available talent. Applying local know-how and deepening the roots of businesses foster a better community. Together the City of Carlsbad and our business community want to create a place where smart people want to live, because the real fuel of our future economy is talent.
Recognizing the strength of the innovation economy from startups to global headquarters earlier this year, the city combined the Economic Development team with the Chief Innovation Officer to create a new unit that reports directly to the City Manager. Uniting innovation and economic development recognizes that businesses have a role in the vibrancy of our community. They can collaborate by providing innovative ideas that support residents and help the city adapt to the future.
This is a community that has something to offer everyone. Fostering a sustainable and healthy economy means understanding areas of opportunity for an in
clusive approach to supporting residents and businesses. This year the city will join the AARP Network for Age-Friendly Cities and engage with the community to develop an action plan.
One area of focus for Age-Friendly Cities is employment. The innovation economy and entrepreneurship are often perceived as a young person’s game. However, an impressive body of research suggests that people in the second half of life are helping power entrepreneurship.
In 2016, the 55-64 age group accounted for nearly a quarter of new entrepreneurs nationally. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the self-employment rate among workers age 65 and older was the highest of any age group and much higher than the 25-34 age group. The potential of these entrepreneurs to support a thriving economy while also contributing their talents to support this great community is a hidden gem we recognize.
Standing on a strong history of community, civic engagement, and future-thinking, the city understands that it needs to adapt to the new ways that people want to connect. When you want to do business with the city sometimes there are still paper forms, manual processes and non-intuitive approaches to getting something done. We aim to change and are seeking the help of local companies in becoming a leading digital city.
Transforming digital operations to make them more efficient and accessible for the everyday user is a city goal. At present residents and businesses need a separate login for the many interactions they have with the city. Renewing a library book takes one login, paying a water bill takes another login, and signing a child up for a swimming lesson takes yet another. Why? Shouldn’t our residents and businesses have a single login for all their dealings with the city?
That is a simple example, but it exemplifies what we are trying NOT to do – adapt humans to technology rather than the other way around. While we have made great strides in the past we can do better by putting people first when adopting new technology.
A people-centered approach to technology is exemplified by the Carlsbad Connector, a pilot program that shuttles commuters between the Carlsbad Poinsettia Station and employment centers around the city. The early results from this app-based program are proving successful. Providing mobility alternatives for the workforce helps to reduce traffic, support our climate action goals, and attract talent that may prefer to go car-less.
And we are also connecting our business leaders. Last year we hosted a CIO/ CTO roundtable, inviting chief innovation, information and technology officers of local companies to join us in a conversation about the current state of technology and predictions on where it is taking us. The unexpected result was that many of these business innovators had not met, even though some were connected digitally. So here they were in the same room shaking hands and exchanging ideas and business opportunities in a way that can only be done face to face.
Creating a more connected city is our approach to innovation and the economy. Digital platforms are great, but by bringing people together we’re putting the human back into digital and helping find solutions that will boost our businesses while enhancing our community. We look forward to connecting with you as we work towards the future together.