Ask people to name the most innovative states in America, and you are not likely to hear the word “Ohio.” Isn’t that the Midwest farm state where all the factories went broke?
If you are still living in the 1980s, yes. But I had a front-row seat for a different story at Ohio’s Future of Mobility Conference, hosted by the Beta District and the Intelligent Community Institute of Dublin Ohio It took place at the Automotive and Mobility Innovation Center in the Beta District, a technology corridor between Dublin and neighboring Marysville, where private and public-sector partners have created a unique test bed for connected vehicles. They have installed fiber networks and wireless transceivers along 35 miles of State Route 33, a busy road for cars and trucks where technology is being stress-tested in all weathers and road conditions.
On the Ground, In the Air
The conference welcomed attendees and speakers from local, county and state government, technology vendors, educators, incubators and accelerators from across central Ohio and as far away as the Netherlands. It was opened by Doug McCollough (pictured right), who wears two hats as executive director of the Beta District and the Intelligent Community Institute. He was followed by Terry Emery, city manager of Marysville, and Eline de Boo of the Dutch Consulate in Chicago. I followed up with a short presentation that provided the framework for the two-day discussion on themes of Engage, Move, Connect, Move and Work.
Those are not topics you are likely to hear at the typical tech conference. Engage focused on how communities will be affected by mobility advances, from EVs and autonomous vehicles to drones and air taxis. The time is now for cities to develop policies that will maintain quality of life – and for technology developers to understand the concerns. In the Move and Connect sessions, attendees heard about the enormous progress in data systems that making more efficient use of highways, roads and parking. That’s a far cheaper and better solution than pouring more asphalt on the ground, only to see it overwhelmed by more traffic.
Work gave the audience crucial insights into the remarkable transformation of workforce development practice in central Ohio. Elementary and secondary schools, college and universities have strong partnerships with employers and state agencies that base learning on real-world problem-solving and prepare new generations for careers in the region’s growing industries, from manufacturing to data systems. As one speaker put it, “When we started, I spent all my time calling businesses and trying to get them involved. Now they are calling us.”
Moving On
According to executive director Doug McCollough – who also serves as an auditor in ICF’s awards and certification program – the May event is just the beginning. “Ohio’s Future of Mobility” was the first high-profile event for the Beta District and Institute. Its real aim is to foster creation of a business advisory group and the planning of innovation projects to accelerate mobility advances and all the benefits they can provide.
I left the conference wondering why Ohio isn't on that list of innovative states. Then I realized that, at most tech events, it is the heady scent of money ramping up the excitement, the thrilling possibility of making bazillions of dollars by inventing a category or going viral.
At “Ohio’s Future of Mobility,” the excitement was about making life better. That's apparently not on the usual tech innovation agenda. Or as Paul Hoeskstra of the Dutch company Technolutions (pictured right) put it, “When I worked for Oracle, the focus was on making Larry Ellison rich. Now when I work for cities, the focus is on the people. Vendors build your systems for the benefit of their shareholders. It is up to you to ensure they also do it for the benefit of your citizens.”
