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Stream these: 8 podcasts for city innovators in 2025
February 21, 2015
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City leaders are on the constant hunt for new ideas that help them keep pace with emerging challenges—and one of the best places to find them is with the slew of podcasts that explore the innovations unlocking urban progress. From creative thinking on securing resident buy-in for ambitious undertakings to mayoral insights on managing crises, this latest edition of our annual list of podcasts for urban innovators offers something for everyone.
The Afropolitan
Who’s behind it: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify
This brand-new podcast is inspired by the fact that, by 2050, one in four people on Earth will live in Africa—and, for the majority of them, that will mean living in cities. Host Catherine Nzuki has, so far, examined the demographic trends shaping the continent’s explosive growth, zoomed in on the future of generative artificial intelligence in the region, and taken a deep-dive into efforts to combat the spread of misinformation in cities such as Bamako, Mali. The show offers insights that will be of use to local leaders in Africa and general city-obsessives alike—after all, as it points out, “The decisions made across Africa today, both positive and negative, will shape the world’s future.”
Design as
Who’s behind it: Design Observer
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify
It’s long been common for civil servants to include designers. And in this podcast, Professor Lee Moreau of Northeastern University uncovers what’s next for design thinking in the worlds of art, business, care, and much more—nearly all of it pertaining to life in cities. One recent episode that is especially relevant to city leaders grapples with design as governance. Listeners gain fresh perspective on why the Boston Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics collaborates with the private sector and other external stakeholders to tackle local challenges. And we hear from longtime Bloomberg Philanthropies partner Geoff Mulgan—a professor of collective intelligence, public policy, and social innovation at University College London—about mapping (and transforming) the systems cities use to deliver online purchases to residents.
The Century of Cities
Who’s behind it: Professor Greg Clark and journalist Jennifer Dolynchuk
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify
This new podcast provides viewpoints from a wide array of local leaders, experts, and innovators who are in the thick of the ongoing—and explosive—growth of urban areas across the world. One recent episode features André Sobczak, secretary-general of Eurocities—a network of E.U. municipalities—discussing the impact local leaders are already having on global challenges such as climate change, and what’s next when it comes to cities driving international dialogue.
Building Amazing Cities and Towns
Who’s behind it: Former Mayor of Clarksburg, W.Va. Jim Hunt
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify
Hosted by former Clarksburg, W.Va., Mayor Jim Hunt, who once served as president of the National League of Cities, this series keeps a laser focus on practical insights for the people who work in—and lead—local governments. The episodes cover a broad terrain, from improving the civility of the public discourse and leveling-up local data practices to finding more effective ways to tell stories about city initiatives. One recent show unpacked the move in Alexandria, Va., to hire a wellbeing and engagement coordinator for public employees—an effort to be more strategic about attracting and retaining talent by taking a holistic look at the civil servant experience.
City Stories
Who’s behind it: Energy Cities
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify
This series is all about the creative ways local governments—specifically in Europe—are tackling the energy transition away from fossil fuels. One recent episode features city leaders from Valencia, Spain, and Budapest, Hungary, who describe concrete strategies cities can use to build trust with residents—a critical first step as they encourage more energy-efficient behavior in their communities.
How to Really Run a City
Who’s behind it: The Philadelphia Citizen
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify, Amazon.
This longtime Bloomberg Cities favorite hosted by former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and Philadelphia Citizen co-founder Larry Platt, manages to take on the most imposing challenges facing cities while maintaining a spirit of fun and creativity. In one recent episode, the hosts catch up with former Chicago Senior Emergency Management Coordinator Tom Henckey as they consider how city leaders can best respond to disasters such as wildfires. Among their insights: Almost every mayor will face an unexpected challenge that tests confidence in local government. And since cities can’t anticipate everything, what they can do is think about how to ensure their chains of command and reporting structures are optimized so that they can respond swiftly and effectively to what’s next.
Collectively Speaking
Who’s behind it: Ldn Collective
Where to find it: Spotify
This podcast, from a U.K. firm focused on creative approaches to urban transformation, digs into everything from how a city’s shift toward a stronger mayoral system can unlock development to how technologies such as artificial intelligence can supercharge resident engagement. One recent episode features Rumi Bose, an urban designer who previously worked in a variety of roles in local government in London. She argues that a top priority for public institutions must be to achieve greater agility by rapidly learning from mistakes—and pivoting so they can deliver what people need when they need it.
Citychangers
Who’s behind it: Urban Futures
Where to find it: Apple, Spotify
This new podcast takes an inspiring look at how change happens in urban communities across the world by introducing the next generation of leaders and advocates. One recent episode features an interview with Maral Koohestanian, the youngest-ever deputy mayor of the German city of Wiesbaden, who provides a powerful perspective on the need for cities not just to engage young people, but to invite them to lead.
