Startups will redesign our cities through innovations in mobility, infrastructure, and city services. While past predictions of the future often missed major technological changes like smartphones and the internet, startups are now positioned to address ongoing urban challenges through sectors that are among the least digitized like transportation, energy, and water. New companies are developing technologies like drones for inspections, smart sprinklers to reduce water use, electric transportation, indoor vertical farms, tools for architects and first responders, and low-cost water quality monitoring. However, this is still an early stage for urban tech startups, with many opportunities remaining across city systems as digitization accelerates.

1. STARTUPS WILL REDESIGN OUR CITIES
Shaun Abrahamson
@shaunabe
Urban Us Managing Partner & Co-Founder

2. WHAT TODAY LOOKED LIKE FROM 1980

3. WHAT G GOT WRONG
+ No Internet
+ No Smartphones
+ Polaroid
+ Atari
+ Bell Telephones (now ATT)
+ RCA (now part of GE)

4. WHAT GOT RIGHT
+ Climate change
+ Urbanization
+ Tech regulatory/policy
+ Economic opportunity
+ Homelessness
+ Law enforcement
+ Mobility challenges

5. GlobalUrbanPopulation
2B
4B
6B
1990 GHG
EU Emissions
Benchmark 2030 GHG
EU Target
1950 2000 2025 2050
2050 GHG
EU Target
1975
Today
WHY WE NEED TO REIMAGINE CITIES

6. 2000 20501975 2025
Numberofcities
metros
400
600
200
bikeshare >
< rideshare
1950
HOW STARTUPS REIMAGINE MOBILITY
1980 2050

7. Impact
Area
Initial
Investment
Multiple on
invested funds
Year
Founded
Mobility & Logistics $1.45m 7.25x ($8.61b) 2009
Built Environment $620k 10.46x (2.39b) 2008
City Government ? 8.47x ($2.42b) 2004
Built Environment $6.85m 10x ($1.00b) 2010
Mobility & Logistics ? 5.5x ($1b) 1999
Utilities (Electricity) $10m 6.04x ($301m) 2006
Utilities (Fuel, Electricity) ? 22x ($144m) 2010
Mobility & Logistics $12m 16.4 X ($67m) 2006
CAN STARTUPS REDESIGN CITIES?

8. 7 NEW WAYS THAT STARTUPS ARE
REIMAGINING CITIES

9. SKYCATCH / DRONES TO AUTOMATE
MEASUREMENT + INSPECTIONS

10. RACHIO / SPRINKLERS TO AUTOMAGICALLY
CUT WATER USE BY 40%

11. ONEWHEEL / TRANSPORT THAT FITS IN A
BACKPACK + GOES ANYWHERE?

12. ________ / INDOOR VERTICAL FARMS FOR QUALITY,
VARIETY, RESILIENCY AND (EVENTUALLY) PRICE

13. ARCHITIZER / BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER
SOURCING FOR COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTS

14. ONECONCERN / AI TO HELP FIRST RESPONDERS
GET TO WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED

15. ___________ / LOW COST, REAL TIME WATER
QUALITY MEASUREMENT + CUSTOM FILTERS

16. 3 REASONS URBANTECH STARTUPS
ARE JUST GETTING STARTED

17. Source: McKinsey Global
Institute
CITIES DEPEND ON
SECTORS THAT
ARE AMONG THE
LEAST DIGITIZED.

18. IF YOU THINK CITY GOVERNMENTS ARE THE
MAIN CUSTOMER, YOU’RE GOING TO MISS A LOT
Source: Urban.Us Urbantech Radar, Mattermark, Angel.co

19. NUMBER OF STARTUPS TAGGED WITH ____________.
Source: Urban.Us Urbantech Radar, Mattermark, Angel.co
energy |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
cleantech |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
transportation ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
automotive ||||||||||||||||
security ||||||||||||||||
solar ||||||||||||||
water |||
waste ||
resilience ||
HERE BE OPPORTUNITY

20. Lawrence Fields: Michael, how are you?
Michael Burry: I found something really interesting. The
whole housing market is propped up on these bad loans.
They will fail.
Lawrence Fields: The housing market is rock solid.
Michael Burry: It's a time bomb.
Porter Collins: So Mike Burry, who gets his haircut at
Supercuts and doesn't wear shoes knows more than the
federal government?
Michael Burry: Dr. Mike Burry, yes, he does.
- The Big Short (film)
HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’VE
ENCOUNTERED SOMETHING INTERESTING?