2024 Intelligent Community of the Year recipient, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, Part 1

The Intelligent Community

Curitiba, Brazil. Ever heard of it? Ever been there? Ever seen or read stories about the building of its railroad and its history of innovation? Ever wonder how a city can be sustainable and flourishing? How about Rafael Greca? Ever heard of him? The outgoing Mayor of Curitiba is one of the most amazing people in the intelligent community movement – and a politician who is such an authentic human being – that Pope Francis invited him to the Vatican to discuss Curitiba’s remarkable programs for addressing food insecurity. Curitiba has won so many “smart city” awards that its shelves are full. It got the big one in November 2024 in Barcelona, when it was named Intelligent Community of the Year. What’s going on there? In this episode, we speak with Dario Paixao, the city’s Secretary for Economic Development, Innovation and Artificial Intelligence, in a conversation with a city that has been climbing the smart city & intelligent community mountain for decades. Dario Paixao is the CEO of the Curitiba Agency for Economic Development and Innovation, Curitiba, Brazil. Doctor in Tourism Management (University of Malaga - Spain); Master in International Tourism (Las Palmas University, Canary Islands, Spain); Business Management and Tourism Bachelor (Parana Federal University and Positivo University, Curitiba, Brazil); St. Mary's High School (Vegreville, Alberta, Canada); Business Management Professor (Parana Federal University, Curitiba, Brazil); Business Management Doctorate and MBA Professor (Positivo University, Curitiba, Brazil); Former Director of the Public Management School of Curitiba City Hall; Former President of the Curitiba Convention & Visitors Bureau; Entrepreneur, speaker, and book author about the Future of Work and Employability.