Microsoft extends CityNext project to Hong Kong

Microsoft has extended its global CityNext smart city initiative to Hong Kong and is seeking local partners to collaborate.

Through the CityNext initiative, Microsoft is working with partners including system integrators to deliver smart city offerings to businesses and governments.

Microsoft held an industry event in Hong Kong last week to discuss the transformative potential of intelligent systems and data analytics in smart city applications. Over 100 channel partners and potential customers attended.

Speaking at the event, Microsoft Hong Kong national CTO Fred Sheu said the CityNext program will help governments deliver digital services to ensure their citizens enjoy healthier lives, as well as access to high-quality education and other critical needs.

“Together with our partners, we can transform a city’s operations and infrastructure, engage citizens and accelerate innovation to create truly sustainable cities — where citizens, businesses and governments work alongside one another for a better tomorrow,” he said.

“Through CityNext, we provide solutions that focus the most powerful modern technology — cloud, big data, mobile, and social technologies — on the city’s most pressing issues. For example, two critical components of any smart city are machine learning and IoT, which we are proud to offer to our partners via our much-heralded Azure cloud platform.”

Microsoft CTO for data insights John Nisi added that the use of intelligent systems is helping businesses and governments re-imagine the value chain.

“Modern businesses faced with economic uncertainty and disruptive competitors can leverage analytics and predictive data to create new revenue streams and opportunities that will allow them to thrive in the digital era,” he said.

According to Sheu, more than 300 partners worldwide have already signed up for the CityNext program. In Hong Kong, over 10 partners have joined the program to provide smart healthcare, smart building, smart government and geographical information system (GIS) offerings and the like.