Google announces Sidewalk Labs with the aim to foster urban development using technology

Google, along with Dan Doctoroff, the former CEO of Bloomberg LP and Deputy Mayor of Economic Development and Rebuilding for the City of New York have announced the creation of Sidewalk Labs. The company will be focusing on urban development with the specific aim of bettering the lives of residents, governments and businesses using facilitating technologies.

According to UN studies, about 70 percent of the world’s population will live in urban environments by 2050. This situation will present unique challenges in everything from transportation to housing to power to food management. With the world’s urban population poised to breach 6 billion in the next 30 years, currently developing regions including many in Asia and Africa will need to contend with managing this inevitable growth effectively.

With Sidewalk Labs, Google aims to leverage the experience of Dan Doctoroff, who will be CEO of the company, in managing large metros and managing growth and urban processes. Google will for their part provide the technology expertise by tapping into their own prowess in the software, IoT and big data spaces, to empower citizens with the ability to manage these challenges effectively and in real time. Sidewalk Labs will focus on developing new products, platforms and partnerships to enable progress in these areas.