Google is launching an independent company that will use technology to improve city life. Called Sidewalk Labs, It will be lead by Daniel L. Doctoroff, who is former New York City deputy mayor for economic development and former CEO of Bloomberg L.P.
Doctoroff conceived of the idea alongside a Google team lead by Larry Page. Sidewalk Labs is designed as an “urban innovation company” that will investigate sustainable living by curbing pollution and energy use, making transportation easier and lowering the overall cost of living for residents and businesses.
Sidewalk Labs intends to develop tech platforms that people can plug into for managing energy use, improving commutes and more.
Doctoroff said Sidewalk Labs’ strategy involves a combination of building and buying technology, and investing in partnerships. While Google’s investment amount is unclear at the moment, one model could be Calico, a Google-backed company started in 2013.
Last fall, Calico and AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company, announced their partnership in a research center in the San Francisco Bay Area investigating diseases of the aging, with s split investment of $500 million.
Doctoroff has plenty of experience in managing urban issues after six years of service as deputy mayor, and Google will contribute technical experience to the project.
➤ Sidewalk Labs, a Start-Up Created by Google, Has Bold Aims to Improve City Living [New York Times]
from The Next Web http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheNextWeb/~3/0FG5Z2dUSII/
via IFTTT
0 comments:
Post a Comment