The meaning of innovation in America’s fastest-growing city

Carlo Capua is Fort Worth’s first-ever Chief of Strategy and Innovation, appointed last year.

“It’s exciting because our city manager encourages us to be creative, try new things and use data to prove why or why not we should do something,” he says.

Fort Worth, Texas lays claim to being the fastest-growing large city in the US and has seen its population double since 2000 to over 950,000.  Last year, the city recorded the largest population growth of all cities with more than 50,000 people, and it’s now the 13th biggest in the nation.

“That comes with new implications and new opportunities,” says Capua. “And it’s important that for our residents and for our visitors, we take a peek around the corner and see what’s coming in the next 10, 20 and 30 years to make sure that we are prepared.”

He was speaking during an interview on the sidelines of the recent Cities Today Institute City Leadership Forum in Long Beach.

Fort Worth was the first city to mine Bitcoin, an experience Capua previously described as “like building an aeroplane while we flew it with a blindfold on and one arm behind our back.”

However, he also believes there’s great value in being first and that bold moves help to raise the city’s profile.

According to Capua, the goal of mining Bitcoin was never to make money.

“It was to try something new and innovative and to brand Fort Worth as a city that is dynamic and forward-thinking to attract other tech companies and other entrepreneurs who want to be in a city that’s like-minded.”

The initial pilot made US$1,000 over six months at no cost to the city and the mining operation continues. More importantly for Capua, it brought international media buzz, with over 753 million media impressions.

“Now other cities are looking at Fort Worth to see what we are doing when it comes to the metaverse or Bitcoin or Web3, whereas before, we may not have ever even been in the equation,” he says.

Risk

Being first also brings potential hazards and many cities prefer to adopt proven solutions.

Capua has previously spoken about monitoring areas such as the energy consumption of Bitcoin and the importance of cities being able to try emerging technologies to inform guardrails.

“You have to balance the risk,” he says. “And that’s why our legal departments exist. That’s why our risk management departments exist and our finance departments – to sometimes put barriers up and roadblocks to protect the integrity of the city.

“It’s important whenever you are first doing something or doing something that’s really forward-thinking to learn before. Find a champion in each of those departments.”

In Fort Worth, Capua linked up with younger members of staff who helped him build support for the Bitcoin project higher up the organisation.

Story-telling

He says other innovative projects are underway, including experimenting with the metaverse. The city will be home to the National Juneteenth Museum, and the first National Medal of Honor Museum will be close by in Arlington.

Capua says these cultural facilities will foster new connections for local communities.

“Sometimes innovation isn’t necessarily creating new things like flying cars; sometimes it’s just connecting two things that maybe had never been connected before to really optimise it for everybody involved.”

Fort Worth also recently won the bid to be the new home of the CrossFit Games for 2024.

“This has huge potential for our city,” says Capua, citing economic benefits, jobs and a further boost for the city’s profile.

He adds: “I’m learning that there’s inherent power in being able to tell a compelling story for your city. As innovative as we have to be when it comes to using technology and optimising our time, effort and costs, I’d argue it’s equally important to be innovative and creative with how you share your message.

“If you do wonderful, ground-breaking things in your city, but fail to share it with your residents, media and other cities, you’re leaving a ton of opportunity and exposure on the table.”