Foxconn Technology Group (Foxconn) today announced a “Smart City, Smart Future” initiative in which the company will partner with higher education institutions statewide to seek out the best new ideas for the development of smart connected cities and systems throughout Wisconsin. Foxconn is committing $1 million over the next three years to this initiative, with the goal of tapping talent at public and private universities and colleges.

To be formally launched in the fall, the “Smart City, Smart Future” initiative will include a competition, which will offer winners and award recipients prizes, financial awards, and technical support, in addition to a platform to attract investments to support them in bringing their ideas to life. The competition will look for innovative ways and harness technology to enhance quality of life and working environments, inspire attractive streetscapes, transportation networks and living spaces, and promote sustainable economic and demographic growth. More details will be announced during a Smart Futures Summit at University of Wisconsin-Parkside on August 7th.

“Wisconsin has excellent undergraduate and post-graduate talent. We want to work with our partners in higher education to develop various programs such as the Smart City, Smart Future initiative to foster, energize and retain talent in Wisconsin,” said Alan Yeung, Foxconn Director of U.S. Strategic Initiatives and President of FEWI Development Corporation. “Wisconsin’s talented workforce with strong work ethic is one of the reasons that attracted Foxconn to invest in the state.  As a long-term partner to the Wisconsin community, we look forward to doing our part to nurture talent in strategic sectors that will support the state’s transformation into a global high-tech hub.”

Yeung outlined the details of the initiative today at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside campus, where he was joined by leaders from the University of Wisconsin System, the Wisconsin Technical College System and the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (WAICU) – three key partners in the initiative. Those organizations represent a talent pipeline of more than 350,000 students, staff and faculty across Wisconsin. Read the full story here.

Read the JSOnline story here.

Read the BizTimes story here.