News / AI
Former mayor launches ‘agentic AI platform’
Bristol’s former mayor Marvin Rees says there are “exciting times ahead” for his new business venture.
CivicNetZero is described as “an AI software platform that connects city ambition with trusted capital investors and delivery partners”.
Rees, now known as lord Rees of Easton, is one of the co-founders of CivicNetZero alongside technology entrepreneur Tom Ilube.
Writing on LinkedIn, Rees said: “I’m really pleased to share something I’ve been working on over the past year: CivicNetZero.
“After years working with fellow mayors around the world, one challenge keeps coming up again and again.
“Cities know what they need to do to reach net zero, deliver a just transition and build resilient futures – but too often they struggle to access the finance, partners and delivery capacity at the pace and scale required.
“This is something I spoke about directly in my TED Talk, making the case that if we are serious about tackling climate change, we have to recognise that the world is now urban and cities must be central to the solution.”
Rees added: “The experience of Bristol City Leap, a pioneering £1bn partnership to accelerate Bristol’s transition to net zero, showed just how powerful it can be when cities connect ambitious plans with the right investment and delivery partners.
“But it also showed how hard that is to do, and how few cities have the resources to make it happen. CivicNetZero is built to change that.”
Rees says CivicNetZero is “an agentic AI platform that acts as a virtual workforce for cities, helping them organise their climate data, develop their project pipeline, and connect with the partners and investors they need to move from climate ambition to climate deals, at a fraction of the current time and cost”.
“This is a platform built by city leaders, for city leaders.
“If you’re a mayor, city officer or urban policymaker working on the climate transition, we’d love to show you what we’re building.”
CivicNetZero’s CEO is Mark Apsey, who was previously senior vice president of Ameresco, Bristol City Council’s partner on City Leap.
The strategic board of the new business is made up of people including former mayor of Quito, Mauricio Rodas; and New York’s former chief climate diplomat, Lolita Jackson.
Main photo: Bristol City Council
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