European Commission launches the Intelligent Cities Challenge

The European Commission has just announced the 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC). This is a €7 million action to help promote green, climate-neutral, sustainable growth in 100 smaller EU cities to improve city residents quality of life. The ICC is part of many EU projects that will contribute to the European Green Deal, an economy fit for the digital age and for the people.

In the EU, 72% of citizens live in urban areas and the ecosystems of urban areas have a significant potential impact on the rate of change. 50% of the reduction required for net-zero emissions can be fulfilled by cities. Innovative technologies can offer solutions to these types of challenges, for example, some EU cities produce world-leading technology and business models, which other cities can learn and benefit from.

Each city will receive expert advice from regional specialists, tailored to the biggest issues for the city – be it mobility, green manufacturing, energy or other local priorities. This will be followed through with community conventions to hear from world-class speakers; celebrate city success; compare performance; receive targeted training and commit to shared action.

An online toolbox will be available to get best practice guidance on key enablers, such as reducing market barriers for small and medium enterprises and creating value from open data. This toolbox will allow citizens to understand their views and track city progress.

10 mentor cities will offer one to one guidance to inspire participants on their journey. They will also extend their help to international participants to learn, trade ideas and create new markets.

The ICC is a 2.5-year plan that builds on from the successful Digital Cities Challenge of 2017-2019, which involved 41 cities creating a vision, strategy, and roadmap for their own digital revolution. City feedback helped to improve the ICC which now aligns itself with new EU priorities and focuses on implementation and new support mechanisms. Cities will:

• Form a step-by-step roadmap from existing strategies bases on stakeholder needs;
• Deliver quick win projects in the first 6 months, followed by larger, more substantial projects;
• Become part of a self-sustaining international network of innovation and collaboration.

The ICC invites applicants from any city with a passion to improve their urban environments, offering them the chance to become the centre-stage of a new EU marketplace.

Original article first published by Intelligent Cities Challenge