The NYC Smart City Testbed is a New York City government program, created by the city’s Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), to make it easier for agencies to test emerging technologies in real operating conditions. Launched in October 2023, it connects technology developers with city agencies and other partners to assess whether a pilot could be useful at a wider scale.34
The program treats New York City’s public assets—from buildings and streets to parks and waterfronts—as potential test sites. Its intended reach is citywide: technologies that prove useful could eventually serve more than 55 city agencies and entities. The program considers proposals addressing government operations and service delivery, as well as the digital divide and community impacts.15
Pilots have covered varied urban challenges. The first announced projects included drones and robotics to identify building-envelope defects linked to greenhouse-gas emissions, and air-quality monitoring and improvement.4 Later pilots included automated building inspections, LiDAR analysis of traffic at parcel-delivery facilities, and computer-vision assessments of bike-lane conditions.3 The city’s Clean Construction Innovation Pilot adds electric construction equipment to the portfolio, testing its viability on city-run projects.1
OTI’s Smart Cities team oversees the program; the city has identified Paul Rothman as its director and Briana Garcia as its manager.3 Pilots are generally designed as six-to-nine-month evaluations, with participating organizations expected to fund their own projects. The city provides access to agencies and sites, along with technical and administrative guidance.46 The program is currently pausing new applications, according to its application page.6