Cities are the lifeblood of our economies. By 2060, more than 80% of Canadians will call cities home. That’s why urban communities need to adapt to be more resilient, more sustainable, and healthier places to live. That’s where Innovate Cities come in.

Innovate Cities (IC) is the world’s first nonprofit ecosystem that helps help drive smart innovation and commercialization. It exists to establish the foundation for future prosperity by creating more inclusive, liveable, and sustainable cities. Having a pioneering business model, IC had only one chance to make a powerful first impression. So, to tell its story, the organization hired TRIA.

Our first task was to develop a comprehensive strategy for IC. Since we were starting from scratch, we had a unique opportunity to choose the clients we wanted to target and create a compelling value proposition along with key messages. To find answers to those questions, we conducted one-on-one interviews with IC’s board members. During the sessions, we explored the purpose and the role of the organization, its most significant strategic advantages, and the unique value it could provide to diverse stakeholders.

Armed with invaluable insights, we created a website and a target audience specific of videos that explain how IC helps innovators connect, design, and scale while protecting the interests and privacy of every citizen.  Then, we embarked on organizing a virtual launch event. We identified the key stakeholders, potential partners, and select influencers. 

The result was a successful virtual launch that successfully positioned IC as a new approach to data governance – one that improves citizens’ quality of life while ensuring data protects people and serves society.