The Internet Association and National League of Cities released a joint report on the future of cities in the digital economy, and Kansas City was selected as one of the four case studies.

The report evaluated "up-and-coming tech cities" that are actively pursuing the integration of technology into their economies, environments and policymaking. In addition to Kansas City, the report looked at Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio.

In Kansas City, the focus has centered on digital inclusion and improving economic opportunity across the city. One of the drivers has been KC Digital Drive, which has helped develop pilot projects involving digital inclusion, literacy, health care, education and gigabit applications for high-speed internet access, such as Google Fiber.

The report also highlighted how city leaders are promoting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and how the city worked to develop incubators to foster entrepreneurship in tech and beyond. Kansas City also launched the Innovation Partnership Program, which aims to drive innovation in the city by allowing entrepreneurs to develop and test their solutions with the city. This approach gives entrepreneurs a marquee client to highlight when approaching prospective customers.

Kansas City has been adept at forging partnerships to advance smart city initiatives, including with Cisco to intertwine smart city technology with the city's streetcar system. The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is taking the tech play with public transportation even further. Its new Big 5 initiative aims to improve the region's public transportation system, and one avenue is a new partnership with Google. The pilot project gives Kansas City access to Google's treasure trove of data, which can help the city analyze the efficiency of current roads and transportation systems. Data from Google Maps could be used to generate reports on congestion, identify problem areas and year-over-year trends in the city.

The Kansas City metro is home to 45,500 internet-sector jobs and 1,700 internet businesses; it has effectively become a Midwest tech hub that's punching above its weight, according to the report.

"Kansas City has embraced technology and innovation in a significant way, but also in a manner that leverages its local strengths and characteristics," the report said. "The city has been one of the fastest growing tech scenes of the past decade according to Forbes magazine. And the tech companies, such as Garmin, that have set up shop there and several other companies from the San Francisco Bay area are flocking to the burgeoning tech community, in part due to economic incentives offered by the city and the state of Missouri."

One advantage Kansas City offers is a burgeoning tech scene that offers employers and employees a low cost of living. That aspect, paired with Kansas City's amenities and "world-class" talent, spurred Australian tech company SafetyCulture to open its U.S. headquarters at Kansas City's Plexpod Westport Commons. In a previous interview, SafetyCulture CEO Luke Anear said that the Kansas City office could become bigger than its Sydney headquarters.