United States
Steve Adler
950,715 (2017)
Kerry O'Connor
Improve service delivery
Improve resident outcomes
Improve internal government operations
Dedicated funding
Dedicated innovation team
Leadership from Mayor
Culture of innovation in city
Support from outside city administration
Austin’s Innovation office supports departments throughout the city to “unpack the problem”, utilizing human-centered design, problem framing, prototyping and iteration as approaches to respond to the city’s complex challenges. The Innovation office, in collaboration with the Dell Medical School, is using blockchain technology to permanently store and maintain important documents (which might be lost or stolen) of the homeless population so that they can continue to access to vital services where these documents are required.
Note: The City Innovation Snapshot (PDF version) was produced in 2019 and some aggregate findings have been updated with the latest survey results below.
Along with 50% of cities surveyed, Austin has an explicit innovation strategy. Similar to 20% of cities surveyed, Austin approaches innovation capacity from a holistic/macro level.
Under the purview of the City Manager, Austin’s Innovation Office is a standalone department, with the opening of the Design, Technology, and Innovation Fellows Program and Bloomberg i-team, the Office now consists of 12 staff.
Taking risks or testing new ideas
Data-driven analytics/public data management
Engaging residents in new ways
Developing new solutions based on digital technologies
Organizational change within the municipality
Human-centered design
Rethinking your city’s approach to financing partnerships
Like 81% of cities surveyed, Austin has dedicated funding to support innovation capacity.
Austin has developed partnerships to promote innovation capacity and with the private sector, academia/think tanks, community and civic tech groups, and philanthropy. The city highly values seeking solutions through co-creation with people impacted by the problem.
The city’s innovation capacity grew with the launch of a Design, Technology, and Innovation Fellows Program and through partnership with Bloomberg’s i-team.