Dive Brief: Three regional smart cities cooperatives in Arizona and Texas will form a multi-state cooperative effort to advance funding models and policies to promote new technology and development. The groups forming the new consortium are: the North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA), a group of nearly 30 municipalities, agencies, corporations and schools across North Texas; The Connective, a public-private research and implementation partnership based in the Phoenix area; and the Southern Arizona Smart Region, a collective run by the Regional Partnering Center with nearly 30 public, private and academic members. "Just as a region as large and diverse as North Texas can benefit tremendously by connecting dots and learning from each other, it's a natural continuation for regions across the country (and globally) to partner to accelerate progress that serves our residents, businesses and visitors and prepares us for the future," Jen Sanders, co-founder and executive director of NTXIA, said in an email. She also said that more partners could sign on soon.