IBM Smarter Cities Challenge

The Smarter Cities Challenge deploys top IBM experts to help cities around the world address their most critical challenges. We do this by putting teams on the ground for three weeks to work closely with city leaders and deliver recommendations on how to make the city smarter and more effective. The Smarter Cities Challenge is IBM’s largest philanthropic initiative, with contributions to date valued at more than $66 million. Since 2010, IBM has deployed 800 top experts to help more than 130 cities around the world. In 2015, the program's fifth year, IBM awarded grants which will be deployed through 2016.

With a period of rapid urbanization underway in Ireland, cities like Limerick increasingly need ways to support their aging populations. Older adults who may not be relocating to city centers face increasing barriers to accessing high quality services and support, living in a safe and accessible environment, contributing meaningfully to their community, and practicing a lifestyle that helps avoid chronic conditions later in life. Limerick, which has Ireland's fastest aging population, aims to improve quality of life and independence of older adults through increased connectivity and improved access to key services. The city wants to develop a data management framework that would enable them to predict and respond to the needs of older people, especially those in more isolated and disadvantaged areas.