Authored By chloe.morrison

Mayor Andy Berke’s office released a report on the future of the city that focuses on technology, gig Internet and entrepreneurship.

The report, which Berke’s office released Thursday, is the first of several to be released as part of the Chattanooga Forward initiative, which is meant to “help write the next chapter for Chattanooga.”

The tech, gig and entrepreneur report builds on what has already been accomplished using the gig and outlines plans and strategies about how to boost the city’s economy and bridge the digital divide, which is the gap between people who have easy Internet access and those who don’t.

“Over the last four years, Chattanooga has attracted interest from around the world due to our high-speed fiber optic infrastructure,” Berke said in a prepared statement. “The fact is, we have the fastest, most pervasive and least expensive gigabit service in the Western Hemisphere. This positions Chattanooga at the head of the curve-and ready to be a leader in the innovation century.”

Now, leaders must leverage these assets to increase the city’s talent pool, attract capital investors, provide wider access for people of all income levels and provide platforms for small businesses to succeed, officials said in a news release.

A key recommendation is to create an entity that can work to implement the plan on a daily basis. That organization should explore creative strategies such as “co-location of capital, business support, housing and research to spur innovation,” according to the report.

“We reviewed accomplishments and lessons learned over the last several years to develop a work plan that we believe will strategically position Chattanooga for the future,” Chattanooga Forward Task Force chair Sidney Crisp said in a prepared statement. “This was a collaborative effort, and I am extremely encouraged to know that Mayor Berke is taking this initiative seriously. I look forward to seeing some of these recommendations become a reality.”

The 22-page report also outlines opportunities and threats to the Gig City.

The city has an opportunity to be a place for research and experimentation, for example, according to the report. It could also be a leader in metadata science and provide low cost of local operations.

But some threats include the quality of local education, a talent gap for entrepreneurial and startup expansions, lack of capital, and competition from other cities.

Click here for more about Chattanooga Forward.

See below to read the entire report.