Giving Compass' Take:

• Microsoft is entering a three-year partnership with the city of Charlotte, NC, creating a regional center that aims to advance tech innovation and the STEM workforce. 

• How can donors based in Charlotte help expand and improve this partnership? 

• Learn about building equitable smart cities. 


Microsoft and the City of Charlotte, NC have entered into a three-year agreement to create a regional center focused on STEM workforce development, internet of things (IoT) technology and innovation, according to a release from the city.

The partnership will give Charlotte access to Microsoft technologies to work on pilot programs around five focus areas: upward mobility for residents, smart transit systems, public Wi-Fi networks, public safety infrastructure and safer neighborhoods. The partnership will also seek to expand tech education and employment opportunities.

Charlotte has worked to build up its tech and research sector through the North End Smart District, an uptown area the city describes as a "hub for the city's innovation engine." Charlotte has piloted programs around energy use and tech education through the district, including a partnership with utility Duke Energy to test smart home technology. The city has also boosted its tech sector; a CompTIA report released last year ranked it as the top city for tech professionals based on average salary, employment opportunities and cost of living.

The Microsoft partnership will help build a "legacy for economic prosperity," said Kate Johnson, president of Microsoft U.S., in a press conference. The company already operates an office in Charlotte that employs more than 1,000 people, and said last month it would invest another $24 million in that facility to add around 400 jobs.

Read the full article about Microsoft investments by Jason Plautz at SmartCities Dive.