We help smart cities think for themselves.
Bits and Atoms is a network of urbanists and technologists who work with clients in industry, government, and the non-profit sector to create the conditions for smart cities to flourish organically, by design.
We do this by using foresight, scenario thinking, and digital inclusion as the keys to urban innovation.
autonomous vehicles
We track and analyze hundreds of pilots and projects around the world to understand how cities can respond to the opportunities and challenges of the driverless revolution.
digital master planning
Smart cities work best when they are built by engaged citizens from the bottom-up, but creating the conditions for these efforts to succeed requires careful preparation, planning and design.
scenarios + foresight
Our foresight research has challenged and inspired leaders in the public and private sector to thing big, long-term, and collaborate around society-scale problems where technology can make a difference.
civic technology
We use open data, open source software, unlicensed networks, and low-cost-hardware to engage potential users, define needs, design, prototype and scale bottom-up civic technology solutions.
More Than 20 Years of Impact
We develop close working relationships with clients, partners, collaborators and fellow travelers spanning a range of public, private and non-profit organizations. We measure our success by the appeal of our ideas, the actions they inspire and shape, and the measurable impact on how cities thrive day to day.
We have been at it for nearly two decades. Use the images at right to explore some of our most impactful work.
A Global Network of Expertise
Bits and Atoms is headquartered in New York City, and operates worldwide. Our network of affiliates offer expertise in urban research, urban planning, urban design, economic impact assessment, data science, GIS, strategic design, architectural design, and more.
New York City
Dr. Anthony Townsend
An internationally-recognized expert on the future of cities and information technology, Anthony is the author of SMART CITIES, founder of Bits and Atoms, and leads our work on autonomous vehicles and digital master planning. (more)
Melissa De La Cruz
Melissa leads our global city case research and content development. She holds a master’s degree in International Affairs from the New School University.
Partners
Dash Marshall
Bryan Boyer of Dash Marshall, with offices in New York City and Detroit, is our partner on civic futures and strategic, urban, and architectural design since 2015.
ARGO Labs
Applied Research in Government Operations (ARGO) is a network of talented civic data scientists building digital architectures for the next generation of public services, and our prototyping and analytics partner.