According to the new website, the Sacramento Urban Technology Lab (SUTL) is where “government, academia and industry collaborate to transform Sacramento into that of a living laboratory for entrepreneurs, advanced technology businesses, and academic institutions to test, develop, and scale their ideas, products and services."
SUTL aims to "bring awareness to current and future city initiatives as well as develop programming” to support the growth of several industry verticals in Sacramento, according to the website, including clean, food, government, civic, health and mobility technology, as well as focusing on the Internet of Things and cybersecurity.
The naming does not signify the start of a new project or program, and no city funds are being used, but rather, the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) is hoping this is the beginning of a new community with Sacramento that innovators and entrepreneurs can use and gather around. Visitors to the SUTL website are encouraged to join the accompanying group on Facebook, and stay updated by signing up for the SUTL newsletter.
SUTL is also looking for local partnerships. “The City currently seeks information from prospective partners to help advance the Sacramento Urban Technology Lab initiative,” according to a link on the SUTL site, which redirects to a City of Sacramento Web page. The site explains that the city is looking for partnerships with SUTL in one or more of the following categories:
- Pilot Project: a product, process, service IT the city may want to explore for application
- Demonstration/Testing: a trial to test, evaluate and/or demonstrate solutions that involve city facilities, right-of-way, equipment or city assets.
- Joint Development: joint co-development of city assets or solutions, such as the acquisition, lease, sale or shared use of city real property or right-of-way.
