A team of four Fairfield representatives is traveling to Brightlands in the Limburg region of the Netherlands to attend the Intelligent Community Forum Top Seven Conference on June 17th, where Fairfield will learn whether it has earned the prestigious Top Seven designation for the second consecutive year.
The delegation — Councilman Bob Ferguson, Marg Dwyer, Nahome Abegaze, and Troy Van Beek — will travel to Brightlands to learn from the region’s internationally recognized innovation ecosystem and to be present for the Top Seven announcement. Fairfield was again named to the ICF Smart 21 this year and submitted its annual community narrative in hopes of advancing to the Top Seven.
“Whether that happens or not, the experience will be rich, and we’ll come back with fresh ideas and inspiration,” Ferguson wrote in a social media post announcing the trip.
The trip comes on the heels of a presentation the ICF team made Monday evening during the study session prior to the Fairfield City Council meeting on June 8th, where delegation members shared highlights from last December’s ICF Global Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — which Fairfield attended as a Top Seven community. The team also presented gifts brought back from Vietnam, including a handmade ceramic vase from the mayor of Ho Chi Minh City and a hand-embroidered silk piece with a certificate of authenticity, both of which will be put on display at City Hall.
What is ICF?
The Intelligent Community Forum is a nonprofit organization that has studied communities around the world for decades, identifying what makes certain communities successful and providing resources, workshops, and a global network for leaders to learn from one another. At its core, ICF evaluates communities across what it calls a triple helix — the collaboration among local government, industry, and academia — along with seven key factors including broadband connectivity, knowledge work, innovation, sustainable growth, digital inclusion, community engagement, and artificial intelligence.
Seth Miller, a Cambridge Investment Research board member who was part of Monday’s presentation, said the stakes for Fairfield are high. “Things are changing fast — whether that’s the economy, technology, education, or energy — and Fairfield needs to be a leader and remain a leader in these areas to remain relevant and continue to be a shining star for the future,” he said.
Fairfield’s Story on a Global Stage
Fairfield first earned the ICF Smart 21 designation in 2023 and has maintained it every year since, earning the Top Seven designation in 2025. The community narrative submitted this year is a 39-page document touching on all seven ICF factors and drawing from examples across the full community.
Among its standout statistics: Fairfield has 56.9 micro businesses per 100 residents, compared to a national metro average of approximately 4.8. Nahome Abegaze, who helped develop the narrative, said the figure reflects something the community already knows intuitively. “People here are willing to take risks, they’re willing to start things, and they’re willing to try new ideas,” he said.
The narrative also highlights Fairfield’s strong educational partnerships, long-term investment mindset, and business success stories — from Cambridge Investment Research growing from roughly 40 employees on the square to more than 900 today, to Agraplastics starting with a single machine and four employees.
Lessons from Vietnam
The team shared four key takeaways from the Vietnam summit: that Fairfield acting alone has limits; that partnering outside the community creates more opportunities; that universities provide critical input; and that collaboration across government, education, and the private sector increases possibilities. “These were communities that were struggling with something, but instead of throwing in the cards and walking away, they decided to make big changes and take a step to improve,” Miller said. “And ultimately they became a success in their region of the world.”
Troy Van Beek, founder of Ideal Energy and a former Navy SEAL, said his own story reflects what ICF is all about. He came to Fairfield in 2006, was asked to join the Go Green Commission, and was inspired by the mission-driven culture he found here. Ideal Energy now employs around 70 people and installed 45 megawatts of solar throughout the Midwest last year alone. “A small ask can have a big impact,” he said.
What Comes Next
If Fairfield earns the Top Seven designation, the team will ask the city council to cover travel costs for an ICF auditor coming to verify the community’s submission. The team is also working to make the ICF community accelerator course publicly available to Fairfield residents, business owners, nonprofits, and educators once revisions are complete.
The global ICF summit later this year in October will be held in Columbus, Ohio. The Brightlands announcement is expected this week. The full recording of Monday’s study session presentation is available on the Fairfield Media Center website.
