For public and private-sector organizations seeking new opportunities.

Economic Development Matchmaking at the ICF Summit is a unique networking opportunity to develop leads and build relationships with leading communities, organizations and businesses in the Intelligent Community movement. Similar to a "speed-dating" session, attendees will have the opportunity to schedule up to six 20-minute meetings with table hosts with the goal of exchanging contact information to continue developing the relationship after the Summit.

Scheduling Meetings

To schedule meetings, you must first be registered to attend Day 3 of the ICF Summit. Once you are registered, you will receive an email with an invitation to schedule meetings. If you are registered but have not received an email to schedule your meetings, please contact Matthew Owen at [email protected]

Table Hosts

Below are the confirmed table hosts for Economic Development Matchmaking at ICF Summit 2018. Further tables will be added as hosts are confirmed.

Chiayi City, Taiwan

Chiayi is a provincial city of 270,000 in southcentral Taiwan, midway between Taichung and Tainan. Ninety-five percent of its economy is in the services sector – wholesale and retail, transportation and warehousing, and accommodation and food – which employs three-quarters of the workforce. After Chiayi was ranked as having the worst air quality in Taiwan in 2014, Mayor Twu Shiing-jer, a physician, dedicated his administration to improving life in the city in this and many other areas.  What followed was a clean air initiative, a rollout of a broadband network with over 1,000 Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the city, a new focus on digital education, and more. Read more

Espoo, Finland

In the far northern nations of the world, people tend to cluster southward. Espoo, Finland's second largest city, lies on the border of its biggest city and national capital, Helsinki. In 1950, Espoo was a regional municipality of 22,000, which drew its name from the Swedish words for the aspen tree and for river. Today, Espoo is still a place on a river bordered by aspen trees. While it is an industrial city of 270,000, it retains its dispersed, regional nature, however, being made of up of seven population hubs arrayed along the border with Helsinki, where many of its citizens work. Read more

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

The Golden Horseshoe is the region that bends around the westernmost end of Lake Ontario in Canada. At the center of the horseshoe’s curve is Hamilton, a city of 520,000 known for industry, education and cultural diversity, having the third-largest foreign-born population in Canada. Located 70 kilometers southwest of Toronto (the 2014 Intelligent Community of the Year), Hamilton was once known as the Steel Capital of Canada, producing 60% of the nation’s steel. It is also a successful lake port city and operates an airport that saw passenger traffic grow tenfold from 1996 to 2002. A 30-year economic development plan begun in 2003 set the goal of creating a massive aerotropolis industrial park around that airport to capitalize on its success.  Read more

Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

In 2011, the city of Ipswich published a 20-year economic development plan for its population of 195,000. It forecast the addition of 292,000 new residents, who will require an additional 120,000 jobs, and will live in a network of distinct communities interwoven with centers of employment, recreational facilities and green space. Because Ipswich offered affordable housing and an attractive lifestyle, its population has grown rapidly in the booming economy of 21st Century Australia. Read more

Tainan City, Taiwan

If you have ever eaten a bowl of instant noodles, you owe a debt to Momofuku Ando, founder of Nissin Foods and inventor of this staple of Asian fast food, who was born and raised in Tainan City. This city of 1.9 million was the historic capital of Taiwan and the cultural heritage of centuries remains one of Tainan’s most important assets that drives a thriving tourist industry. Tainan today, however, is about much more than the past. It is home to multiple science and technology parks including the Southern Taiwan Science Park, Tainan Technology Park and Shugu LCD Park. The tenant rolls are dominated by optoelectronics, integrated circuits, green energy and biotech companies, which together with more traditional manufacturing generate more than half of the city’s economic activity. Read more

Taoyuan, Taiwan

From the Taoyuan International Airport on its northwest corner to its mountainous and thinly populated southeast, Taoyuan is home to 2 million people and 47,000 companies including one-third of the nation’s top 500 manufacturers. By nourishing local innovation, attracting international entrepreneurs, and building an ever-growing infrastructure for clean energy production, Taoyuan is preparing its people, organizations and environment for global competition. Read more

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Located midway between the two coasts of Canada, Winnipeg is the capital of a province rich in agricultural and natural resources. In the 21st Century, the city is pursuing economic growth by better connecting industry and education, while better equipping its large aboriginal population for opportunity. The city has pursued economic growth by connecting industry and education more systematically, and leveraging its indigenous geographical and cultural assets. A public-private R&D organization develops technologies and supply chains for high-performance composites based on agricultural materials, while there has been a programmatic attempt to equip its large aboriginal population with digital tools. Read more

Siemens

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalization. One of the world's largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is a leading supplier of efficient power generation and power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry. With its publicly listed subsidiary Siemens Healthineers AG, the company is also a leading provider of medical imaging equipment – such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging systems – and a leader in laboratory diagnostics as well as clinical IT. In fiscal 2017, which ended on September 30, 2017, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.2 billion. At the end of September 2017, the company had around 377,000 employees worldwide. Read more

Becamex

Investment and Industrial Development Corporation ( Becamex IDC) was established in 1976, over 35 years of construction and development, Becamex IDC has now become a prestigious brand name in the field of investment and development of industrial, residential, urban and transportation infrastructure. Currently, Becamex IDC has 28 subsidiaries and joint efforts covering areas of securities, finance, insurance, banking, construction, trading, real estate, services, telecommunication - information technology , concrete production, construction materials, mining, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and education with charter capital of approximately 5.500 bil VND Read more

ICF Canada

ICF Canada is the first global representative office of its kind outside of ICF’s global headquarters. The purpose of ICF Canada is to promote the development of the Intelligent Community movement within Canada and by example, promote the goals of creating the best cities and educated workforce possible around the world through the criteria established by ICF. As a result, ICF Canada is positioned to respond to requests by Canadian communities of all sizes across the nation about the criteria, awards, conferences, workshops and any other activities of ICF and ICFF as well as work with its partners, ICF Institutes and intermediaries in Canada and around the world in their effort to help create the best communities possible for its citizens and for the country as a whole. Read more

ICF Taiwan

ICF Taiwan is the first global representative office of its kind in Asia. ICF Taiwan promotes the development of the Intelligent Community movement within Taiwan and by example, promote the goals of creating the best cities and educated workforce possible around the world through the criteria established by ICF. ICF Taiwan coordinates the participation of Taiwanese communities of all sizes across the nation in conferences, workshops and any other activities of ICF and ICFF as well as work with its partners, ICF Institutes and intermediaries in Taiwan and around the world in their effort to help create the best communities possible for its citizens and for the country as a whole. Read more

Global Institute for the Study of the Intelligent Community (Dublin, Ohio)

The Global Institute for the Study of the Intelligent Community was established in partnership with the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) to serve as a research institution to expand the world’s knowledge about the creation of Intelligent Communities. Through the Institute and our membership, we seek to expand understanding of successful community development and to equip local leaders with tools to build stronger communities. The Institute is currently one of two such organizations licensed through ICF. Each Institute focuses on educating and assisting communities in becoming proficient in the Intelligent Community Indicators – broadband, knowledge workforce, innovation, digital equality, sustainability, and advocacy. Read more

 

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