In 2026, economic competition is no longer decided exclusively at presidential summits or through trade agreements. It is increasingly shifting to the municipal level, where local governments are learning to innovate “in networks” to attract investment, raise productivity, and solve public service challenges through technology. This dynamic is known as open innovation networks: practical agreements among cities to share data, procurement models, public challenges for startups

In 2025, the promise of “smart cities” has moved beyond aspirational rhetoric and into a field of direct economic and political competition. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a technological add-on; it has become the new urban operating system. It determines which potholes are fixed first, how public transportation routes are adjusted in real time, where security resources are deployed, how water is prioritized during shortages, and which permits are accelerated to at

Public-sector innovation is no longer cosmetic—it’s the difference between a government that delivers and one that falls behind. In 2025,...

Amid growing pressure to increase transparency, efficiency, and agility in public services, municipalities in Mexico and the United...