Editor’s note: Triangle leaders are talking up the region’s cleantech, Internet of Things and more at the Smart Cities Innovation Summit. WRAL TechWire asked Jenn Bosser, executive director of the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster, to discuss why the Triangle is participating and how the cleantech cluster initiative can benefit the region.

AUSTIN, Texas – This week, the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster (RTCC) is partnering with the NC Regional Internet of Things (NC RIoT) to host a delegation of regional partners at the most extensive showcase of smart city innovation in the U.S. – the 2016 Smart Cities Innovation Summit in Austin, Texas.

Participants of the delegation consist of regional cleantech companies, organizations, universities, and municipalities including: Chatham Park, Duke University, Itron, OpenDataSoft, MasTec, MCNC, NCNGN, NC RIoT, SAS, Sensus, and the Towns of Cary and Wake Forest.

  • Marketing the strengths of the Region

The Summit is a three day event, bringing together over 200 cities and their respective leadership to network, share ideas, and showcase each region’s innovative technologies. RTCC’s mission is to accelerate the growth of the Region’s cleantech community and promote the region as a leader in the development and deployment of cleantech and smart cities innovation. The Summit provides an excellent opportunity for us to promote the Triangle region, its 350+ cleantech companies, and create connections with other cities, global industry leaders and each other.

As part of this effort, RTCC coordinated speaking opportunities for its delegates to highlight the region and the innovation being developed by companies in the Triangle. Our attendees will be co-presenting smart cities case studies in the areas of smart transportation, water technologies, smart grid, data analytics and smart cities solutions.

  • Public/Private Partnership and collaborating to benefit the Region

The Summit is co-hosted with US Ignite and the Global Cities Team Challenge, of which NC RIoT and several regional partners have collaborated to participate as an action cluster around a technology solution for first responders.

A goal of the action cluster is to work with cities across the Triangle to identify areas of partnership and solutions that can benefit multiple communities in the Region. The partnership also showcases the collaboration taking place in our area, attracting companies interested in establishing a presence or working with the organizations in the Region.

  • What happens next after the Summit?

Beyond the Smart Cities Innovation Summit, RTCC is focused on opportunities to continue the conversation and share best practices and solutions to benefit the Region’s communities. One effort includes partnering with SAS and the Triangle J Council of Governments to host city managers, political officials and industry partners for a workshop to help municipalities and governments in the Region and across North Carolina with smart cities solutions. 

RTCC is also engaged with the C40 Cities climate leadership group through our membership in the International Cleantech Network. We are working to connect members of RTCC with C40 cities to provide solutions.

RTCC will host Simon Hansen, Director of Regions from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, as the keynote speaker for our Annual Meeting this fall, September 7, 2016.

  • Why is cleantech important to economic development?  

As an economic developer, one of the most exciting aspects of working for the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster is the engagement of the cluster in the development of smarter cities, which leads to attraction and retention of companies and talent. RTCC has a unique mix of members including entrepreneurs, utilities, universities, nonprofits, professional services and global companies. The organization is growing, with the addition of 20 new members in 2016 and a goal of adding 40 members by June 2017.

With strength in numbers, we can provide opportunities for companies to work with us and promote our region at events such as the Summit we’re attending this week, showing the world why the Research Triangle Region is a global hub for cleantech and smart cities innovation.

About the author

Jenn Bosser serves as the first Executive Director of the Research Triangle Cleantech Cluster (RTCC), an industry-led and industry-funded program of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership. Jenn manages day-to-day operations, board and member relations, business development, fundraising efforts and new partnership opportunities for the cluster.

Mrs. Bosser previously served as assistant executive director for Wake County Economic Development since 2010. She had overseen day-to-day operations, led the onboarding and existing industry efforts with companies and managed strategic marketing initiatives and projects; including development of a national media and public relations campaign that has resulted in national media placements.

She has played a major role in building and maintaining relationships with 100 public and private-sector investors committed to a five-year, $10 million super fund campaign to support economic development in Wake County and the region. She also led the region’s efforts to create a talent recruitment and retention strategy, Work in the Triangle, that is recognized as a national model. Mrs. Bosser implemented new tools and marketing collateral to position Wake County as a smart place for business and better communicate strategy and accomplishments with key investors and the community.

Mrs. Bosser has also served as vice president of executive engagement and enterprise strategy for the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA). In that role, she managed marketing, communications and fundraising, including sponsorships and event revenue.

She moved to North Carolina in 2005 from Washington, D.C., where she was corporate outreach specialist and manager of business retention for the Washington, D.C. Economic Development Partnership and membership sales manager for Destination DC.

Mrs. Bosser serves on the board of directors of Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women, executive committee of the board of directors for Community Workforce Solutions, and Leadership Planning Council for Wake County Public School System’s Pathways to Prosperity Initiative. She was recently recognized as a 40 under 40 winner by the Triangle Business Journal and as a 40 under 40 Rising Star in Economic Development at the International Economic Development Council’s Leadership Conference.

She received her Bachelors of Arts degree in communications/public relations from Towson University in Maryland and a certificate in economic development from the Oklahoma University Economic Development Institute. She lives in Apex with her husband Robb and three sons.