The City of Peachtree Corners and smart city testbed Curiosity Lab are partnering Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). Peachtree Corners is one of the first smart cities in the United States powered by connected infrastructure and 5G. MUFG is one of the 10 largest financial groups in the world.

The partnership will focus on exploring and advancing smart city systems through research, development, demonstration and deployment of next-generation use cases.

The three partners will work on new developments in in transportation and smart city technology.

MUFG will also identify and connect clients with a need for real-world smart city testing and smart infrastructure access. This will boost Curiosity Lab’s as a launch pad for US and international smart city development. MUFG is part of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and engages with start-ups and corporate clients on both sides of the Pacific.

“Through this partnership, we are creating more than a bridge between sectors. We are continuing to build a launchpad for global smart city innovation and further supply innovators with a real-world testing environment to continue the validation and success of new emerging technology,” said Brian Johnson, City Manager of Peachtree Corners. “MUFG has already helped bring promising companies from around the world to our city, and this formal partnership will allow us to work even more closely to ensure that cutting-edge technologies are successfully tested, refined and deployed for the public good.”

The partnership will provide MUFG with access to a collaborative Innovation Centre that is expanding to 50,000 square feet, adding 25,000 square feet of new innovation space to the existing facility. The centre offers a full 5G-powered testing environment. This includes a three-mile autonomous vehicle test lane, town centre, and major regional arterial road SR141.

Peachtree Corners offers access to city infrastructure with no intellectual property or equity requirements, and a NIST 171 certified ecosystem for the highest level of cyber security for unclassified data. As a partner, MUFG will have the ability to work closely and interact with Curiosity Lab’s incubator programme as well as start-ups and established companies to further aid in developing cutting-edge technology.

“This agreement enables MUFG to better support our clients by offering them unique opportunities for real-world engagement and innovation in the smart city space,” said Yutaka Fujishiro, Head of Japanese Corporate Banking for MUFG. “We’re proud to expand our collaboration with Curiosity Lab and the City of Peachtree Corners to help bring forward the future of connected urban development.”