Long Beach’s Technology and Innovation Department is hosting the city’s Co-Lab Community Demo Day on Nov. 15 at Cal State Long Beach.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate and learn about neighborhood challenges, as well as possible technological solutions to those challenges, as part of the second cohort of the City’s Co-Lab program.

Residents can attend presentations, demos and Q&A sessions from companies that have worked with the city to address three pressing civic challenges:

Improving access to city services
Advancing safety in commercial corridors
Maintaining and activating vacant lots

The City is currently facilitating a competitive request for the proposal process to evaluate and identify solution providers for each civic challenge. Finalists’ solutions and proposed projects will be announced by the City in the coming weeks. Each of the three selected projects will receive $75,000 in pilot funds for a 12-month period.

Residents from the Hamilton neighborhood in Long Beach discuss ways to improve their community at one of nine monthly Co-Lab meetings. (Courtesy of the City of Long Beach)

“When we trust residents to help shape the solutions that affect their daily lives, we get better outcomes and stronger communities. Demo Day represents the future of municipal innovation – collaborative, transparent, and driven by the people we serve,” Director of the Technology and Innovation Department Lea Eriksen said in a public statement. “The Demo Day event represents a fundamental shift in how cities procure technology.”

All projects presented will align directly with the City’s 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games strategic areas showcasing the city’s innovative approach to resident-driven governance including sustainability, public safety, and community pride.

Residents are encouraged to pre-register at lbcity.info/colab-demo with interpretation services in Spanish, Khmer and Tagalog available upon request. Light refreshments will be provided, and residents of all ages are encouraged to attend.

Demo Day will take place on Nov. 15 from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Pointe Conference Center (1250 N. Bellflower Blvd.) at Cal State Long Beach.