Smart City Leaders, Champions, and Entrepreneurs—The People Part of Vibrant Smart Cities

This chapter will provide definitions for four Smart City elements: (1) leaders, (2) champions, (3) entrepreneurs, and (4) ecosystem development activities. It will then offer thoughts on the evolution of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas, two Central US Smart Cities. The relationship between the four elements is important to discovering the economic and social innovations that are possible with Smart Cities. The key to this innovation cycle is ecosystems that cause high-velocity, collaborative relationships between leaders, champions, and entrepreneurs.