Akron, Ohio
Nearly a decade ago, Akron, Ohio, laid the groundwork to become a connected community. In the strategic plan, “Imagine: Akron 2025,” city leaders envisioned a broadband network leveraged to spur economic development and encourage an entrepreneurial culture to revive this former industrial town. In recent years, Akron has initiated several projects to capitalize on its assets and reinvent its economy, bolstered by continual support from the Knight Foundation.
Today, forward-thinking strategies coupled with the city’s history at the forefront of broadband technology development prepare Akron to put a community technology program to work for its citizens. Guided by the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, Akron’s connected community strategy plans for sustainability, identifying prospective beneficiaries of broadband access and illustrating the value proposition to stakeholders. At community workshops facilitated by the Knight Center, community leaders discuss potential opportunities and learn about the numerous benefits that a connected community program offers.
Akron, the birthplace of Knight newspapers and the Knight Foundation and the home of the new Knight Center of Digital Excellence, is sure to be one of the Knight Center’s shining examples of transformation.
“We are proud to be the first recipient of a Knight Foundation grant for broadband wireless, and especially for being selected as the site for Knight’s Center of Digital Excellence.”
- Dave Lieberth, Deputy Mayor for Administration
Learn about why Akron is great in this video, produced for the city’s First Night event.
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