Christchurch Earns IBM Smarter Cities Challenge Grant for 2013

Christchurch, New Zealand, 15 November 2012 - IBM (NYSE: IBM) today
announced Christchurch has been selected as a recipient of an IBM Smarter
Cities Challenge grant (#smartercities) one of 31 cities globally for
2013. The grant provides Christchurch with access to some of IBM's top
experts to analyse and provide recommendations to drive economic
development and sustained growth for the city.

Launched in 2011, the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge is a three-year,
100-city, US$50-million competitive grant program and is IBM's
single-largest philanthropic initiative. The Challenge teams address urban
issues including economic development, transportation, education, energy,
public safety, urban planning and health care. As part of the pro bono
engagement, a team of six IBM experts will be assigned to Christchurch in
2013, working with Christchurch City Council and the Canterbury Development
Corporation.

Canterbury Development Corporation chief executive, Mr Tom Hooper said,
“Our vision for this project is to create a ‘smart framework’ that will
improve the city’s innovation eco-system and help create opportunities for
both collaboration and commercialisation of ideas. By understanding and
implementing such a framework, it is anticipated that the city would
generate higher levels of economic growth across all sectors following a
sustained period of earthquake-related rebuild activity.”

The Canterbury Development Corporation’s application was officially
endorsed by Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker, who was also participated in the
grant application process.

“When talking about a re-imagined Christchurch, I have always envisaged
collaborative projects such as the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge helping us
create a dynamic and innovative society. To be chosen as one of the IBM
Smarter Cities grant recipients is both an honour and dynamic opportunity
that speaks to our innovators, engineers, entrepreneurs and scientists with
the clear message that we are building a city of the future,” said Mayor
Parker.

“We are thrilled that a New Zealand city has been selected in this
competitive grant program . Christchurch put forward a clear and compelling
case to receive a grant andit will be a privilege to collaborate with
Christchurch and its leaders to help the city develop a sustained model for
economic prosperity," said Liz Hampton, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate
Affairs Manager, IBM New Zealand.

In 2012, IBM provided expert counsel to 33 cities worldwide who had earned
IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grants. These included engagements in:

• Geraldton, Australia, where IBM suggested ways for the city to become
a leader in smart grid technology adoption and digital services
• Cheongju, Korea, where IBM recommended smarter transportation
strategies
• Dortmund, Germany, and Malaga Spain, where IBM formulated plans for
economic, workforce, and skills development
• Jacksonville, USA, where IBM outlined steps for downtown
revitalization
• Louisville, USA, where IBM showed how the city could use data to
identify, predict and mitigate conditions that trigger asthma
• Nairobi, Kenya, where IBM created a plan for traffic management
• Curitaba, Brazil, where IBM suggested approaches to sustainability
and citizen engagement.

In year-one and two of the Smarter Cities Challenge, IBM completed work in
62 cities globally, deploying nearly 400 of its most talented experts who
delivered concrete and measurable results to winning cities.

The need to use innovative approaches that address civic challenges has
never been greater. In 2008, according to the United Nations, more than
half the world's population began living in cities for the first time.
These population centers are more economically powerful, politically
influential, and technologically advanced than at any time in history. But
they also struggle with increased demand for services, along with budgetary
and operational challenges.

Smarter Cities Challenge is a variant of IBM's Corporate Service Corps, a
pro bono consulting program that assists government with projects that
intersect business, technology, and society. Since its launch in 2008,
Corporate Service Corps has sent more than 2,000 of IBM's top talent based
in 50 countries on more than 200 team assignments in 30 countries. While
Corporate Service Corps focuses on the developing world, IBM's Smarter
Cities Challenge addresses urban concerns in both industrialized and
developing countries.

Visit the CitizenIBM blog to read about some of the lessons learned during
previous IBM Smarter Cities Challenge engagements, and to better understand
the challenges that cities face.

The Smarter Cities Challenge is sponsored by IBM's Corporate Citizenship
program and IBM’s International Foundation. IBM has been a leader in
corporate social responsibility and citizenship for more than 100 years.

To learn more about IBM's corporate citizenship initiatives, visit:
http://www.citizenibm.com and http://www.youtube.com/user/citizenIBM. To
find out more about IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grants, please visit IBM’s
Smarter Cities Challenge web site at www.smartercitieschallenge.org.
Follow us on Twitter @citizenIBM

ENDS

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