Microsoft Corp. names Philadelphia a 'Showcase City'
Philadelphia will get three years of detailed attention from the software giant to promote the innovative use of technology in city operations.
Philadelphia is one of 13 "Showcase Cities" picked by Microsoft Corp. for special corporate attention to help the city adopt innovative technology – a theme at the "Innovation Summit" that Philadelphia hosted in May for the U. S. Conference of Mayors.
Mayor Nutter said Tuesday that the designation would bring at least three years of corporate attention and support from a "Microsoft Partner Network" of some 430,000 technology experts.
Preliminary brainstorming between city officials and Microsoft executives has identified five areas for the company's support:
--Help in establishing a "municipal innovation lab".
--Developing an "office of the future" designed to speed service delivery and improve workforce productivity.
--Providing technical support for hack-a-thons and developer camps.
--Awarding a software grant to an education non-profit focused on science, technolkogy, engineering and mathematics.
--Creating a technical program aimed at minority students.
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