Dakota Future aspires to join nation's tech leaders

Dakota Future, a nonprofit economic development corporation comprising representatives from businesses, education and government, is leading the charge for the cities and counties south of the river to climb the ranks of "Intelligent Communities" worldwide. A New York City think tank, Intelligent Communities Forum, each year recognizes the communities with the best access to, use of and plans for technology. The goal is to encourage communities to find innovative ways to thrive in an increasingly global economy. This spring, Dakota Future will be studying local broadband resources, technology skills, and education and business opportunities to gauge how Dakota and Scott counties compare with the nearly 400 other communities that enter the Intelligent Communities contest annually. Dakota Future's goal is to be ranked in the top seven within three years.