Colombia is a country teeming with entrepreneurial spirit and a regional leader in social innovation. The days of drug wars are receding, and it’s opening up to the world. Colombia also has a history of progressive mayors, especially in Bogotá and Medellín, making it a hotbed for urban innovation. Earlier this month I went to… Read more
A Shareable City enables residents to efficiently and safely share all kinds of assets – from spaces to cars, skills and utilities – to create stronger, healthier and more connected communities. From a policy perspective, a Shareable City looks at multiple aspects of urban planning and community well-being through a collaborative economy lens and proactively… Read more
This week the Dutch platform for Collaborative Consumption, shareNL, has started its mission: To make Amsterdam Europe’s first Shareable City. All pre-conditions are being fulfilled. The Netherlands (and Amsterdam in particular) have a thriving collaborative economy. There are numerous start-ups that are growing rapidly and some are even crossing into neighbouring countries. Investment is slowly… Read more
Collaborative consumption and the sharing economy are fast becoming household names and taking root worldwide. Companies and investors in the private sector are transforming marketplaces and redefining exchange. Meanwhile, cities and public sector stakeholders around the world are grappling with new realities: budget reductions, technology-driven innovation, and an increasingly diverse set of demands from their… Read more
“The program is a long time coming. Other cities, like Boston, D.C., and Chattanooga (who knew?), have been there first. But New York poses its own unique problems: There’s the simmering culture war between cyclists and pretty much everyone else. There’s the vastly understaffed accident investigation squad, which proved ill-equipped to handle the cases of several… Read more
“When Mr. Booker discusses the overwhelmingly poor, minority community he serves, talk of justice recedes behind talk of creating opportunity. He grew most excited in an hourlong conversation about so-called “collaborative consumption,” the spreading practice of renting, sharing and bartering things, like a bike or a spare bedroom, rather than owning them outright. Many in… Read more