MABLETON, Ga. — The city of Mableton has been named a winner of the 2026 Smart 20 Award for its 100% cloud-native municipal infrastructure. The global honor from Smart Cities Connect recognizes Mableton as the first city in the United States to run its entire government system without traditional on-site hardware.
The project, titled “Zero to 80,000: Building America’s First 100% Cloud-Native Municipal Infrastructure,” allowed the city to establish a digital city hall within six months of its incorporation. Mableton was selected alongside major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Las Vegas for the award, which identifies influential and innovative municipal projects worldwide.
Mayor Michael Owens, a cybersecurity and information technology executive, led the initiative alongside the City’s IT Security Risk Department. By using cloud-based platforms instead of physical server rooms, the city avoided millions of dollars in upfront infrastructure costs and six-figure consultant fees. Owens described the “City-in-a-Box” model as a potential blueprint for other municipalities across the country.
“In Mableton, we believe that a modern city doesn’t need a server room to be secure and efficient,” Owens said. “We chose to invest taxpayer dollars in our community rather than in depreciating metal and wires.” This approach eliminates the recurring need to replace obsolete hardware with taxpayer funds every few years.
The cloud-native setup enables a staff of 60 employees to provide services for all 80,000 residents. The city utilizes advanced artificial intelligence tools, including Google Gemini, to maintain this operational efficiency. For the average resident, the 100% cloud-native designation means the government runs on secure, high-speed digital platforms rather than physical hard drives and onsite wiring.
To protect municipal data, the city implemented “Zero-Trust” security. This high-level protection is the same standard used by global financial institutions to secure information against hackers.
Smart Cities Connect will formally honor Mableton at an awards ceremony on March 10, in Raleigh, N.C. Mableton is also a finalist for the “Grand Challenge” title, which is awarded to the top three overall projects.
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