"The collaboration between private and public sectors is vital for the future of downtown management, and in his new book Gabe speaks to how these partnerships can result in meaningful improvements for downtowns."
— Examiner
"Let me cut to the chase: Gabe Klein’s Start-Up City: Inspiring Private Public Entrepreneurship, Getting Projects Done, and Having Fun is a delightful book....Accessible, narrative driven,and with some keen insights for practice, Start-Up City is worth your time and your money."
— Journal of the American Planning Association
"I loved Start-Up City for its witty writing, the lessons it taught and its amazing push of future technology at the end. Gabe Klein did an amazing job of distilling his practices, the elements that made him what he is and the cities he worked with, presenting them in a fun and interesting way…definitely worth of the short time it would take one to read it."
— Spacing
"Gabe's lessons in Start-Up City break down the barriers between the public and private sectors in pursuit of a greater city and citizenry. The elusive recipe for successfully innovating within the confines of government is in this book."
— Adrian Fenty, former Mayor of Washington, D.C.
"Finally—the missing manual for the vanguard of can-do change agents who have discovered in their cities a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a real, lasting impact on American government. What Gabe Klein has learned transforming transportation in DC and Chicago will be invaluable as future young leaders take on housing, health care, and other once-intractable urban challenges."
— Anthony Townsend, author of "Smart Cities"
"Gabe shows us the art of the possible. This book is not just another lofty call to build more livable cities. It is a practical guide on how to put people first in cities and how to move quickly from idea to execution."
— Carol Coletta, Vice President of Community and National Initiatives, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
"Adaptation, innovation, and a commitment to getting sh*t done fast aren’t management strategies limited to the private-sector boardroom. Investment in our cities is mission critical for our future, and Start-Up City identifies a new urban entrepreneurialism in the public interest."
— Janette Sadik-Khan, Bloomberg Associates; former NYC DOT Commissioner
"Start-Up City challenges cities to be more nimble and shows them how. Gabe outlines fixes for the disconnect between cities and the private sector. He mixes the simplicity of bike lanes and the wizardry of self-guiding cars with the sharing economy to paint a new picture of mobility. He brings an impish humor to the serious business of change. City-lovers everywhere should read this book."
— Martha Roskowski, Vice President of Local Innovation, PeopleForBikes
"It is amazing that DC and Chicago gave entrepreneur outsider Gabe Klein the keys to the transportation bus. Now, in Start-Up City, he pulls lessons from the thrilling ride. Klein’s disruptive wisdom extracts management, communication, and finance advice from potholes, bike share, and a suite of innovative projects for change-makers inside and outside city hall. Klein muses on a future impacted by cars that drive themselves, but more importantly, advises how to steer that future toward the city we want to live in soon."
— Randy Neufeld, Director, SRAM Cycling Fund
"Cities are leading the change in America. Start-Up City gives a window into how to align all of the stars to make it happen. Gabe's playbook provides an inside look at how to integrate private-sector skills and processes while instituting strong, public-oriented management and governance. Start-Up City is a must read for anyone interested in making positive change in our cities."
— Ray LaHood, former United States Secretary of Transportation