Giving Compass' Take:

• Smart Cities Dive profiles Boston-based tech startup called Soofa, which aims to bring a sustainable model for ad-funded urban infrastructure through its digital signs.

• Would there ways to scale up such technology, from digital billboards to other public-facing products?

• Here's more on how smart cities can build trust in government.

In 2014, three female co-founders from the MIT Media Lab and Harvard Graduate School of Design launched Soofa, a tech company focused on bringing smart, citizen-centric and solar-powered infrastructure to cities across the globe. To fill an obvious need of urban citizens — to stay connected and charged — the startup launched the Soofa Bench, a solar-powered phone charging bench equipped with a sensor to detect pedestrian activity.

As time has passed, Soofa’s focus has remained on citizen engagement and forward-thinking innovation — though its product development has evolved the company into a competitive leader in smart infrastructure. In 2016, Soofa unveiled the Soofa Sign, a digital display that acts as a bulletin board for information on public transit, community events and local business offerings.

he Soofa Sign has become a staple for community engagement in Boston, Atlanta and Las Vegas, and the Miami-Dade region will soon welcome Soofa Signs as early as March 2019, thanks to support from Ford’s City of Tomorrow Challenge.

Read the full article about the future of sustainable city infrastructure by Kristin Musulin at smartcitiesdive.com.