Fostering Innovation for Smart Cities: Leading Cities President to Keynote at SCSNA2025

06.04.25 11:49 PM By Robyn Francis

Michael Lake, President and CEO of Leading Cities, is set to deliver the keynote on Fostering Innovation for Smart Cities at Smart Cities Summit North America. 


Through Leading Cities, a global non-profit with operations in 10 countries, Michael establishes and develops relationships with municipal governments, businesses and universities around the world, creating a global network of partner cities dedicated to implementing urban solutions that effectively address the shared challenges facing 21st-century cities. Michael’s career in public service spans from serving three United States Presidents as Special Assistant for White House Operations and Presidential Advance to serving the former Prime Minister of Ireland as a policy research analyst.


A first-of-its-kind collaboration between Smart Cities Council, Charter Cities Institute, Leading Cities, Smart Cities Americas, and Deep Tech Week, Smart Cities Summit North Amercia is supported by Title Sponsor, International Free Zone Authority | IFZA, and Trade & Investment Partner, Miami-Dubai Chamber of Commerce, this event brings together 450 global leaders, project owners, and experts to shape the world’s largest smart city projects over the next 50 years.

A native of Melrose, Massachusetts, Michael was the first and only graduate in history from Northeastern University or the state of Massachusetts to have completed five undergraduate majors simultaneously. He graduated summa cum laude studying Finance, Political Science, Communications, Entrepreneurship and Management Information Systems and has twenty years of experience in the public, private, academic and non-profit sectors demonstrating collaborative leadership, problem-solving and relationship-building skills necessary to compete globally and to drive results. He is trusted by two Presidents of the United States to manage day-to-day operations of the White House, by the Governor of Massachusetts to build global partnerships, and by international leaders to deliver valuable opportunities.

What to Expect at #SCSNA2025

- Thought-provoking presentations and in-person discussions from project owners, trade and tech companies, and capital funds. Explore mega-projects and global partnerships spanning regions including Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Türkiye, Ukraine, Congo, Morocco, ASEAN, and beyond.
- A focused track on technology, startup, and capital investment powered by the Leading Cities AcceliCITY program in partnership with Deep Tech Week.
- The launch of Smart Cities Academy’s new micro-credentialed Smart Cities Introductory Course in partnership with ZIGURAT Institute of Technology.
- Engaging workshops covering Responsible AI, Transformation with AI, and Cyber Compliance presented by SmartAIConnect, VANTIQ, Trellis Data, and XQ.

Key Domains: Sustainability, Mobility, Wellbeing, Digital Equity, Regional Communities, Healthcare, ElderCare, Homelessness, Earthquakes, Urban Planning, and Biourbanism.
Key Technologies: AI, Digital Twins, Metaverse, Blockchain, Digital Infrastructure, 5G, IoT, and Virtual Reality.
Key Commercial Focus: Startups, Capital Investment, Trade and Investment, Finance, Funding, and Procurement.
Key Regions: Middle East, Africa, Ukraine, ASEAN, USA, and Poland.

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