Bedrock and several other companies have partnered on a new joint venture called Urban Tech Xchange (UTX) with the goal to deploy technologies throughout Detroit that they say should help tackle "modern cities' biggest challenges."
The partnership includes Bedrock and urban real estate portfolio in Detroit, Bosch and Cisco providing global technology resources, and KODE Labs providing a smart building platform.
According to Bedrock, the UTX builds on momentum from the Detroit Smart Parking Lab, which is a joint venture between Bedrock, Bosch, Ford and the State of Michigan. The DSPL is a place for startups to test different mobility ventures.
The goal of the UTX is to provide a real-work test lab for different urban technologies and infrastructures right in Downtown Detroit, according to Bedrock.
The organization said those who are part of the UTX will have access to a variety of programs from all companies involved, including coworking spaces, smart building platforms, technological advancements and more.
There are several deployments from the UTX after it opens, according to Bedrock. They include the East Riverfront Sensor Network, which will assess neighborhood environmental health along Detroit's east riverfront properties, KODE Labs machine learning and AI-powered modules, Cisco infrastructure and more.
“Access to data in the built environment is a global challenge, that if solved will help accelerate the decarbonization of cities,” said Edi Demaj, Co-Founder of KODE Labs. “Detroit is on the leading edge of smart city development, and collaborations like the Urban Tech Xchange will only lead to amazing experiences for people that live, work and play in urban cores.”
"The UTX will be hugely impactful asset to Detroit's community of founders and startups. It's exactly the kind of partnership that will drive the kind of innovation that solves problems and unlocks opportunities for Detroiters. I'm extremely pleased to see this vision become a reality, and look forward to supporting its success,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan said in a statement.
