It's no longer news that climate change, resource scarcity and urbanization are fueling a maelstrom that threatens our stability and quality of life. And the time we have to act is running out.

But just as cities are at the heart of the problem, we believe they can play a critical role in the solution. They contain the fundamental ingredients of social and economic innovation — talent, capital, technology and social networks — that can help solve the problems we face. Creating sustainable cities is critical to our planet's future, and the tools we need to achieve that are all around us.

But how? "Urban sustainability" isn't new. Portland, in particular, has long been considered a living laboratory for urban innovation. In fact, that work has made sustainability our most powerful brand.

But the problem isn't will — it's coordination. Too many of our efforts tackle smaller problems one at a time, and in isolation. As a result, we've missed the opportunity to strategically invest in economic and workforce development, community engagement, livability and ecosystem resiliency.

What if all of our efforts could work in concert, amplifying our ideas and innovations to a scale equal to the size of the problem?

That's where we come in.

We bring business and sustainability leaders together to incubate partnerships, drive innovation and solve tough problems on a truly metropolitan scale, here and in cities around the world. Through scalable — and replicable — pilot projects, we help transform research into action, promote smart policy and drive targeted investment in new technologies and practices, strengthening our economy and quality of life.

We're here to work together — to create the solutions we urgently need.