BRIDGING THE URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE
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METRO EDGE - SERVING THE UNDER-SERVED
Chicago might be the thirdlargest metro area in the United States , one of the nation ’ s manufacturing and economic powerhouses , but the city is still struggling to support its economically underprivileged areas . Founded in 2018 , data centre startup Metro EDGE is working to provide edge computing and low-latency services to underserved areas , while also promoting data centre industry skills within the communities it serves . Metro EDGE ’ s stated aim is to deliver “ powerful social impact through data centre development ” by generating economic and social impact across under-served communities .
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BRIDGING THE URBAN-RURAL DIVIDE
By 2050 , the United Nations estimates that 68 % of the global population will reside in cities , opposed to 55 % ( about 4.3bn today ). This migration - in combination with overall population growth - could add another 2.5bn people to our cities . In contrast , the current rural population of around 3.4bn is expected to fall to 3.1bn by 2050 .
More and more , rural communities - which are vital to support the existence of cities - are being left behind . Hanania noted during our conversation that “ rural areas seem left out of [ the smart city ]
NOVEMBER 2020