TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Downtown Partnership, IKE Smart City, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor will unveil new interactive kiosks called IKE (Interactive Kiosk Experience) at a ribbon-cutting ceremony later this morning. Designed to help residents and visitors explore the city, the initiative brings innovative technology to a City that is quickly emerging as one of hottest hubs for tech startups. The first 5 of approximately 30 kiosks are live with the remainder to follow shortly. The network will be installed throughout Downtown and neighboring communities.

“Innovation is part of the fabric of Tampa. From our thriving startup community to our streets, it’s in everything we strive to do,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said. “Our city is growing more than ever before, and providing access to information is critical to our community.”

The multilingual ADA-compliant kiosks offer a hyper-local experience through an engaging suite of applications that support area business, improve mobility, and provide valuable resources and services to Tampa communities. Each IKE is programmed with geographic coordinates that automatically populate detailed directory listings with businesses situated within a customizable radius of the kiosk’s location. A multimodal trip planning application facilitates navigation to destinations around the City with mapping and real-time transit information.

“We are giving people a digital roadmap of what’s open and where to visit,” said Lynda Remund, President and CEO of the Tampa Downtown Partnership. “This makes it easier to find and support the local businesses and venues that make our city so unique. And after the pandemic, we must get even more creative to help them stay and thrive in Tampa.”

In addition to functioning as an interactive tour guide, IKE’s free Wi-Fi and easily accessible information on social services narrow the digital divide while ambient lighting and an emergency call system improve public safety. IKE can disseminate critical public safety information as well as important community messages in a highly visible way.

“We are excited to partner with the City of Tampa and the Tampa Downtown Partnership to offer an innovative, hyper-local experience that drives discovery, mobility, and equity,” said Pete Scantland, CEO of IKE Smart City. “And we appreciate the opportunity to collaborate in activating the public spaces in Downtown Tampa with art and community programming.”

When not in use, IKE will display a dynamic mix of community, art, and commercial messaging. IKE Smart City is committed to developing media platforms that support the production and presentation of public art. The double-sided kiosks will regularly exhibit new projects by local and international artists in collaboration with some of Tampa’s most recognized cultural and arts organizations. A launch project with TT Art Collective, New Roots Art Collective, and Abbi Creates Studio will feature work from Tampa’s artist community including works by Aaron Evans, Tracey R. Jones, and Rojo. IKE has also partnered with the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and the Tampa Museum of Art to promote their exhibitions on the kiosks. Other exciting partnerships are in development.

The kiosks do not require any money from the City of Tampa or taxpayers. IKE Smart City delivers and operates all aspects of the program with revenue generated by strictly controlled advertising content.

About the Tampa Downtown Partnership

Tampa Downtown Partnership is a private, membership-based not-for-profit 501(c)(6) comprised of companies, organizations, and individuals with a common goal of advancing Tampa’s Downtown. Through an annual contract with the City of Tampa, Tampa Downtown Partnership administers the Special Services District. In addition to Tampa’s Downtown Guides and Clean Team, Tampa Downtown Partnership serves downtown through marketing, business development, transportation, advocacy, public space activation, planning, and beautification.

About IKE Smart City

IKE Smart City pioneers smart city technology to improve lives in cities. The company was formed to develop and operate the premier interactive kiosk platform with the goal of building a wayfinding and city communication system for the digital age and delivering it in a self-sustaining business model at no cost to city partners. IKE kiosks help cities, Business Improvement Districts, and Destination Marketing Organizations connect with the public, encourage a pedestrian-oriented environment, and tell the story