"Future of Cities" Video Series

Starting with the problem

We set out to build the Work 4.0 platform because we saw an opportunity to introduce something impactful at the intersection of media, culture and work. For most of us, the media we consume and the work that we do is not inherently productive or meaningful. Many of us go through the motions as we passively consume content and dispassionately run through our daily lists of never-ending tasks. Our hope is that by bringing you unique stories of innovation via passionate creators, you might be inspired to do work that matters. Or, at the very least, you might learn something new about how the world might be changed for the better.

Future of Cities

We chose the "Future of Cities" as our flagship video series for a couple reasons. First, most of us in the United States, and the world for that matter, live in big cities. In fact, the UN projects that by 2050 nearly 70% of the global population will live in urban areas. Basically, we are all in this together. If we don't collectively get our sh!t together, problems like emissions, housing, access to vital resources, pollution and congestion are going to spiral out of control. In a world that feels increasingly negative and divided, we are seeing a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the future, especially the future in dense urban areas. There are incredibly passionate people out there who are introducing innovative solutions that promise to make our cities smarter, more resilient, and more equitable in the future. We are excited to bring you these stories.

Technology as a catalyst, not a panacea

Most of the startups we will be spotlighting are harnessing modern forms of technology to bring about positive change. With advancements in areas like AI, sensors, IoT, cloud computing, and 3D printing, it is possible for creators to introduce world-changing products faster and with less capital than ever before. We are talking about flying taxis, urban agriculture, delivery robots, and smart resource management tools. Emboldened by modern technology, there's a new class of purpose-driven innovators whose combined efforts promise to introduce solutions that will radically change cities, and by extension, the world, for the better.

Though we are bullish on the potential for technology to ignite positive change, it won't be without potential downsides. Technology is a catalyst for change, but not a panacea. Issues like privacy, loss of jobs to automation, and equity, could be exacerbated by new technologies if we are not careful. As we bring you these stories we will always keep these risk factors top of mind, and will explore them mindfully.

Purpose-driven Work

Our ultimate goal with this series, and with our platform in general, is to inspire you to do work that matters. By sharing the real, authentic side of innovation, we aim to make it more accessible. At the very least we want to provide meaningful entertainment and help people learn something new along the way. Our ideal is to use our content to inspire you to action. We hope you discover a problem or company that moves and inspires you to jump on board. The companies we spotlight are all growing like crazy and looking for talented people that are aligned with their mission and vision for the future. Our time here is limited, and if we are going to work, we might as well have fun and do something that has potential for impact.