BARNSTABLE, MA — In May 2011, community leaders from across Cape Cod came together at the first SmarterCape Summit to envision what a Smarter Cape might look like—searching for ways technology would combine with the entrepreneurial spirit and creative skills of Cape Codders to improve opportunities for living, working, and visiting the region that so many treasure. The summit was a powerful and energizing event that focused on key themes of technology-enabled economic development, efficient public services, and improved quality of life. Summit organizers quickly formed a working group, dubbed the SmarterCape Partnership, to advance a vision that grew out of that conference.
“Last May’s Summit was such an electrifying experience that we wanted to be sure to harness the energy and ride it to the next level. We didn’t want the Summit to be a dead-end, but rather the initiation of a new Cape Cod, so we held a follow-up visioning session in September,” said Wendy Northcross.
This past December the resulting draft of a working vision statement was presented to a wide range of participants, many of whom had found inspiration at the May summit. The pivotal vision statement will serve as the foundation for SmarterCape Summit 2012, May 14 and 15.
The newly drafted vision statement, available at smartercapepartnership.com, describes the region in 2025 and beyond—as supported by OpenCape and the techno-enabled opportunities it affords.
Community members interested in serving in an advisory capacity for the SmarterCape initiative should send an email to info@smartercape.org.