In the beginning of November, the Amsterdam InChange team and network visited the Smart City World Expo Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona. The yearly event is the place where companies, entrepreneurs, start-ups, cities, and research institutions in the field of innovation and smart cities meet. Amsterdam InChange joined the Dutch delegation and collaborated on a broad programme together with various partners. Our days were filled with inspiration, international exchange and deeper connections. Curious to what we’ve been up in Barcelona? Read our recap below.

Alderman Charif El Idrissi Joins Amsterdam InChange and the Dutch Delegation

What made this year’s visit to Barcelona truly special is that Alderman Charif El Idrissi from the Municipality of Haarlemmermeer joined us not only as an ambassador for Amsterdam InChange but also as the mission leader for the Dutch delegation! Together with Alderwoman Eva Oosters from the Municipality of Utrecht, Charif led the group of Dutch participants and was the face of the Dutch delegation. On Sunday, Charif addressed the Dutch delegation with encouraging words at the kick-off, and on Tuesday, he officially opened the Dutch pavilion together with Eva Oosters and the Dutch Ambassador in Spain Roel Nieuwenkamp. Reflecting on the visit to SCEWC, Charif said: “It was an honor to lead Team NL and represent our nation on the global stage of digitalization and innovation. We’re excelling as a small country, and each year brings new connections and collaborative opportunities that only strengthen our position. And I look forward to bringing all insights and inspiration back to the municipality of Haarlemmermeer”

Connecting with Our Partners: Smart Ports Excursion with SPIE

On Monday, Amsterdam InChange co-organized an excursion to the Port of Barcelona with our partner SPIE. It brought back some nostalgic feelings, as it was here in Barcelona that we signed our partnership contract a year ago. The excursion focused primarily on knowledge exchange around smart energy, water, and infrastructure. The Port of Barcelona has set the goal of reducing CO₂ emissions by 50% by 2030 and becoming an emissions-neutral port by 2050. Carles Rúa Costa, Head of Innovation at the Port of Barcelona, gave an insightful presentation highlighting the critical role ports play in the energy transition. To conclude this inspiring morning, we took a boat tour through the port, where Carles told us more about the port and its operations.

International Next Level Changemakers Dinner

On Monday evening, we hosted our own International Next Level Changemakers dinner, where we connected our Amsterdam InChange partners with our international network. It was a night filled with deep conversations, valuable insights, and genuine connections with fellow changemakers committed to building better streets, neighborhoods and cities.

International Delegations: Sharing Knowledge Across Borders

Amsterdam InChange hosted several outgoing missions from the Dutch Pavilion in collaboration with the DMI-Ecosystem. The purpose of these missions was to provide participants of the Dutch delegation opportunities to connect with international colleagues and to facilitate knowledge exchange and collaboration. The programme consisted of guided visits about topics such as “The Future of Mobility”, “Digital Twins” and “Net Zero Cities” to the pavilions of EIT Urban Mobility, Forum Virium (Helsinki), the European Commission and Catalonia.

Collaborating Internationally on a Regional Challenge: Zero-Emission Zones

On Tuesday, Pelle and Chris organized a session on zero-emission city logistics, bringing together representatives from cities like Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, München and Amsterdam. The conversation sparked a lively exchange on how the different cities are tackling urban transport emissions, sharing challenges and solutions for cleaner, sustainable streets. Everyone was genuinely enthusiastic about continuing the conversation after the expo, and they agreed to stay in touch so that we can keep learning from one another.

Amsterdam InChange Takes the Stage

Amsterdam InChange was well represented on stage this year in Barcelona. Leonie had the opportunity to elaborate on the Amsterdam InChange approach in an inspiring keynote. She spoke about our dedication to creating livable cities, emphasizing our commitment to tackling the transition challenges of our time. Leonie highlighted the importance of collaboration, innovations that make a genuinely positive impact on people’s lives, and our people-centered approach.

On Thursday, Francien joined the stage at the Thematic Roundtable: 'Collectively Moving Cities Forward'. She contributed to an international panel on mobilizing citizens, with a particular focus on engaging young people.

We look back on a great week in Barcelona and came back with a mind full of fresh ideas, valuable insights, deeper connections, and a notebook packed with follow-up actions! Do you have any questions or input for us? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our community manager Sophie via sophie@amsterdaminchange.com.

After seven years with Amsterdam InChange, our Programme Director, Francien Huizing, will be leaving the team as of December 1st. Francien has been more than just a Programme Director for us — she's been a driving force behind everything we’ve built together. She helped shape the unique vibrant and open space we created as a network, guided our young and talented team, brought in new partners, and led us through the transition from Amsterdam Smart City to Amsterdam InChange, making sure our new identity and vision resonated with our mission.

“With immense joy, I have worked alongside the team and a fantastic network to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. The openness, cheerfulness, and incredible drive of everyone has always given me a lot of energy, and I am grateful for everything we have accomplished together.” - Francien Huizing

Francien’s passion and dedication for our network have left a lasting mark on Amsterdam InChange and all of us who worked alongside her. Francien, on behalf of the team and network, we thank you for the energy, vision, and support!

We are doing our utmost to find a replacement for Francien's role by January 1st. Until then, Jessica Peters-Hondelink (Director of Amsterdam Economic Board) will temporarily take on this role.

If you would like to leave a message for her or want to join her farewell drinks, feel free to email us at info@amsterdaminchange.com.

[for English, scroll down]

Al 15 jaar zetten we als Amsterdam Smart City netwerk innovatie en digitalisering in voor betere straten, buurten en steden. We groeiden uit van het realiseren van energieprojecten, naar aanjagers op het gebied van digitalisering, naar een open innovatieplatform gericht op sociale innovatie. Altijd met de mens centraal. En we blijven groeien en ontwikkelen. Innovatie en digitalisering (lees ‘Smart’) zitten nog steeds in onze kern, maar de aandacht is verschoven naar hoe we de complexe maatschappelijke opgaven samen kunnen aanpakken, hoe iedereen hiervan kan profiteren en hoe we dit duurzaam en toekomstbestendig kunnen doen. En daar past een nieuwe naam bij. Een naam die beter aansluit bij wat we al doen en waar we naartoe onderweg zijn. We nodigen je uit om met ons mee te doen, op weg naar een duurzame toekomst voor iedereen.

Waarom Amsterdam InChange?

InChange staat voor dynamiek, verschuiving en transformatie vanuit creatief denken. Het impliceert dat innovatie niet alleen gaat over nieuwe ideeën, maar ook over betekenisvolle veranderingen die gemeenschappen, bedrijven, individuen en de samenleving beïnvloeden.

‘In’ geeft aan dat innovatie momentum heeft; het is gaande, we zijn aan de slag! Het zegt ook dat het een gezamenlijke inspanning is, we hebben elkaar nodig. Het benadrukt dat elke belanghebbende, van de kleinste start-ups tot de grootste bedrijven, een cruciale rol speelt in deze transformatie.

‘Change’ versterkt het beoogde doel en resultaat van waar we met elkaar aan werken. Het gaat niet om innovatie omwille van innovatie, maar om innovatie gericht op tastbare, betekenisvolle veranderingen. Daarmee staat Amsterdam InChange voor een netwerk dat zich inzet om zichtbare en betekenisvolle verandering teweeg te brengen. En zo samen te leren hoe het anders kan.

Er is de afgelopen tijd veel veranderd: een nieuwe naam, een nieuw logo, nieuwe kleuren en een website die er anders uitziet. We leggen je graag meer uit over dit proces.

Online Community

Wat betekent dit voor jou? Voor de online community verandert er voorlopig nog niet veel. We hebben een nieuwe website, die we later gaan samenvoegen met ons online Amsterdam Smart City platform. Je behoudt gewoon je account en je kunt het platform blijven gebruiken zoals je dat gewend bent.

Mocht je verdere vragen hebben over onze rebranding en online community, neem gerust contact op met ons team via info@amsterdaminchange.com.

Amsterdam Smart City continues as Amsterdam InChange and this is why

For 15 years, the Amsterdam Smart City network has been using innovation and digitalization to create better streets, neighborhoods, and cities. We grew from realizing energy projects to becoming leaders in digitalization, and now to an open innovation platform focused on social innovation. Always with people at the center. And we continue to grow and develop. Innovation and digitalization (read 'Smart') are still at our core, but the focus has shifted to how we can tackle complex societal challenges together, how everyone can benefit, and how we can do this sustainably and future-proof. This calls for a new name, one that better aligns with what we already do and where we are headed. We invite you to join us on the journey towards a sustainable future for all.

Why Amsterdam InChange?

InChange stands for dynamism, shift, and transformation through creative thinking. It implies that innovation is not just about new ideas, but also about meaningful changes that affect communities, businesses, individuals, and society.

‘In’ signifies that innovation has momentum; it is ongoing, we are taking action! It also suggests that it is a collective effort; we need each other. It emphasizes that every stakeholder, from the smallest start-ups to the largest companies, plays a crucial role in this transformation.

‘Change’ reinforces the intended goal and outcome of what we are working on together. It is not about innovation for the sake of innovation, but about innovation aimed at tangible, meaningful changes. Thus, Amsterdam InChange represents a network committed to bringing about visible and meaningful change. And so, together, we learn how things can be done differently.

In the last weeks, a lot has changed: a new name, a new logo, new colors, and a different website. We are pleased to tell you more about this process.

Online Community

What does this mean for you? For now, the online community remains the way it is. We have a new website, which we will later merge with our online Amsterdam Smart City platform. You will keep your account and can continue to use the platform like your used to.

If you have any further questions about our rebranding and online community, please feel free to contact our team via info@amsterdaminchange.com.

On October 10th, our network gathered for the 25th edition of our Demo Day. This time, the event took place at our partner AMS Institute, located right next to us at the Marineterrein! AMS is working on innovative solutions to make the metropolitan area livable, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive. They call this 'Reinventing the City.

In this article, we’ll give you a quick overview of the Knowledge Session, Work Sessions and Pitches. Interested in learning more? Read the full reports by our team members Pelle, Sophie, Christine and Jill (linked below).

About our Demodays

The Demodays are one of the tools we use to stimulate innovation and encourage connection between our partners and community. The purpose of the Demodays is to present the progress of various innovation projects, ask for help, share dilemmas and involve more partners to take these projects to the next level. More information about the Demodays can be found here.

Knowledge Session: Boundary Spanners

Together with Dr. Gertjan de Groot, we explored the world of 'Boundary Spanners' — the bridge-builders who tackle societal challenges with creative solutions. How do you connect different worlds, break down barriers, and foster collaboration where obstacles seem to dominate? In an era where collaboration is essential, the role of the boundary spanner is more important than ever. Read Jill’s full report here.

Worksessions

Mobility | Scenarios for Smart Mobility

Guus Kruijssen and Rombout Huisman (Province of North Holland) led a working session on their recent scenario studies – Smart Mobility North Holland 2050. What do we actually mean by future visions and scenarios? What are the different types, and how can they be used? Read Pelle’s full report here.

Circular | A Marketplace for Used Assets

Alliander hosted a session, diving into the challenges and opportunities of creating a marketplace for used assets. What happens to industrial materials like transformers and switchgear once they’ve served their purpose? Can these essential components get a second life? Read Christine’s full report here.

Energy | Safety in the energy transition

During this work session Johan de Vries (Safety Region Amsterdam-Amstelland) and Tommy Borger (Municipality of Amsterdam) introduced the participants to the topic of safety in the energy transition. Together, we explored how to effectively integrate safety measures into energy transition projects, without slowing down critical progress. Read Sophie’s full report here.

General | The LCA Game

What do you actually need to make a shoe? And how can this production process be as sustainable and cost-efficient as possible? Cenex Netherlands organized a workshop aimed at testing and improving their ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ (LCA) game. Read Jill’s full report here.

Pitches

And of course, we enjoyed some inspiring pitches. Below are the topics presented.

Coding the Curbs | Smart Zones | Jaap Tjebbes
Coding the Curbs is the pioneer in Europe in the field of digital management of public spaces. Our platform offers an easy way for people to reserve and flexibly use public spaces — from a logistics hub in the morning to a cozy terrace in the afternoon.

Alderli | A camera that detects falls using AI | Jacob Vermeule and Stijn Vos
Alderli is an IoT system that detects falls in elderly people using an infrared camera. The product recognizes a fall and alerts caregivers without infringing on the privacy of the person who has fallen.

Droppie | Cash for separated waste | Natascha Hermsen and Stef Traa
Droppie encourages consumers to separate recyclables at home and bring clean materials to the Droppie waste lab. In exchange, they receive a payment per kilogram of waste. This model ensures that waste processing becomes not only more environmentally friendly but also financially attractive for participants.

Our last Demoday of 2024 will take place on December 12.

The energy transition is well underway, integrating electric vehicles, solar panels, battery storage, and other innovations into our daily lives. However, this shift also introduces new and unfamiliar safety challenges. For example, electric vehicle fires require specialized extinguishing methods. Unfortunately, these safety risks are often overlooked within energy transition projects or addressed only in hindsight. To address this issue, Johan de Vries (Safety Region Amsterdam-Amstelland) and Tommy Borger (Municipality of Amsterdam) introduced the participants to the topic of safety in the energy transition during this work session on Demoday #25. Together, we explored how to effectively integrate safety measures into energy transition projects, without slowing down critical progress.

Introduction to safety in the energy transition

Johan opened the session by explaining why the fire department and safety region are directly involved in the energy transition. “When things go wrong, the fire department is called in,” he explained. Even with their preparedness for emerging dangers, the fire department faces growing challenges with electrification and batteries. For example, as the number of emission-free vehicles increases, so does the risk posed by (older) batteries, which can lead to fires in electric cars. Sustainable innovations, he emphasized, are not inherently safe innovations. Johan mentioned the Johan Cruijff ArenA as an example, home to Europe’s largest energy storage system using second-life electric vehicle batteries. While it is a sustainable solution, questions about its safety remain.

Collaboration and awareness is key!

The participants then engaged in discussions centered around two questions:

1. Can safety go hand in hand with speed in the energy transition?
2. Is collaboration in the energy transition a threat or an opportunity?

The group agreed that while speed is important when it comes to the energy transition, sometimes slowing down is necessary to avoid risks. Although not all dangers can be prevented, progress can be made by learning from experiences along the way. Although collaboration sometimes slows things down, it was seen as an important aspect when it comes to safety in the energy transition. Participants suggested that the fire department could work more closely with manufacturers, such as those producing electric vehicles, to make safety a shared responsibility. Additionally, the safety region could become a partner in regional innovation projects, such as ATELIER, to ensure safety is integrated from the start.

The session concluded with consensus on one pressing issue: there is a significant lack of awareness about safety in the energy transition. This blind spot often results in insufficient attention to safety risks in energy transition projects. One suggestion was to publish an article in a national newspaper to raise public awareness of these challenges. Through this session, we addressed the issue of safety in the energy transition in the Amsterdam InChange network. Johan gained valuable insights on collaborating with other parties in the Amsterdam Region and is looking into how the safety region can build on this session’s outcomes and give it a meaningful follow-up.

Would you like to learn more, or do you have any input for Johan? Leave a comment and I’ll connect you with Johan!

What happens to industrial materials like transformers and switchgear once they’ve served their purpose? Can these essential components get a second life? During the Demo Day on October 10th, Alliander hosted a session, diving into the challenges and opportunities of creating a marketplace for used assets. The workshop explored how these materials could not only be repurposed internally but also made available for new applications elsewhere.

Workshop Structure and Focus

The session used an interactive approach, inviting participants to explore key parts of a circular supply chain. The discussion was centred around three main questions:

1. What are examples of successful circular supply chains, and who might be interested in used assets?
2. What does an ideal circular supply chain look like?
3. What conditions must be met for such a chain to succeed?

This framework fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas, revealing both opportunities and obstacles for implementing a marketplace for used assets.

Key Challenges

The session highlighted several challenges that need to be addressed to create an effective marketplace:

• Material tracking and data management: How to effectively map available materials?
• IT systems: What systems are needed to support the marketplace?
• Guarantees and support: How to ensure the quality and reliability of reused materials?
• Predictability: How to forecast the availability of reusable materials?
• Value assessment: How to determine the market value of used assets?

Insights and Recommendations

Participants emphasized the importance of collaboration with other grid operators and external stakeholders to maximize reuse potential. Key recommendations included:

• Start with a single product category, such as transformers, and map the entire supply chain.
• Establish KPIs to measure success and use these to test hypotheses through experimentation.
• Develop standardized platforms for sharing information about available materials.
• Strengthen partnerships with suppliers and other grid operators.

Action Points

The following concrete next steps were outlined:
1. Map the circular supply chain for transformers and tools.
2. Engage with the procurement director to promote collaboration.
3. Create an inventory of available transformers.
4. Develop KPIs to track and measure progress.
5. Explore partnerships to advance circular procurement.

The session provided valuable insights and a clear roadmap for developing Alliander’s marketplace for used assets. By starting with a specific product group and gradually scaling efforts, Alliander aims to make an impact in advancing the circular economy.

Are you interested in the marketplace for used assets? Leave a comment below and we’ll connect you with Catharina Driesse from Alliander.

During our Knowledge and Demo Day on 10 October (2024), Guus Kruijssen and Rombout Huisman (Province of North Holland) led a working session on their recent scenario studies – Smart Mobility North Holland 2050. In this report, I will share the four ‘Context’ scenarios they developed, the process, and the discussions with the session participants.

Objectives of the Scenario Study

What do we actually mean by future visions and scenarios? What are the different types, and how can they be used? A discussion among the participants quickly highlighted the many different motivations, forms, and use cases. Rombout and Guus began by explaining their aim for this study.

The province of North Holland plays various roles in the field of mobility as a policymaker, road manager, and concession provider. Given the major challenges related to housing, CO2 emissions reduction, and road safety, their perspective on the future of mobility revolves around Reducing (travel), Improving (travel options), and Changing (travel behaviour). This perspective forms the basis for developing, operationalising, and maintaining their strategy – a cycle that spans approximately 50 years. However, digital developments and innovations are making the world change faster than ever, necessitating greater awareness of possible contextual changes. The key question is: how do the choices we make now relate to the different possible futures?

To explore this, a team of colleagues embarked on developing four challenging context scenarios. Working with internal and external experts, they moved from an environmental analysis and contextual factors to scenarios and strategic insights. The process and outcomes were kept administrative and had no political or policy-driven focus. The result is not a set of visions to choose from but rather a representation of various developments and challenges that may arise, to which you can assess your own projects and actions against.

The Four Scenarios

Four distinct context scenarios were developed. Here is a summary and a few key aspects of each:

1. Steady Traffic (Doorgaand verkeer) A slow shift towards a green economy, benefiting only the Amsterdam Metropolitan Area (MRA). The population grows to 3.7 million. Cars remain dominant, transitioning gradually to electric, but roads and trains stay congested. Digitalisation and innovation progress slowly, with limited impact on efficiency and accessibility.
2. Turbulent Weather (Rukwinden) Ongoing shocks and international instability, with the US leaving NATO and significant climate change. The population increases to 3.1 million. Fuel crises accelerate electrification, but investment focuses on priorities like the navy. Technological scepticism grows due to data breaches, impacting accessibility.
3. Our Own Path (Eigen weg) The Netherlands withdraws from international cooperation and leaves the EU, focusing on healthcare, circularity, and local production. The economy contracts due to trade restrictions and brain drain, and the population decreases to 2.6 million. Fewer traffic jams, but cars remain significant alongside increased regional public transport. Distrust in innovations and sustainability rises, with informal sharing preferred over commercial options.
4. Transition (Overstappen) Climate change accelerates transition and AI development. The population stabilises at 3.1 million. Non-sustainable sectors disappear, and reduced traffic results from digitalisation and virtualisation. Space is primarily used for energy infrastructure, and circular processes increase. The EU and the national government push for innovations like autonomous transport and shared mobility. Ownership is limited to the wealthiest, and digital infrastructure becomes a priority.

Outcomes and Follow-Up

Rombout and Guus guided the group through the process and results of these scenario studies. We discussed the developments and contextual factors used in the study, and considered if anything was missing. They openly shared their approach and how they plan to use these insights to assess their own policies and projects, and welcomed questions and suggestions from the group. There was also room for discussing the challenges. Because, while people can easily align on scenarios, opinions can still vary greatly on how we should act on them now.

Many of our partners are already working with future visions and scenarios. See, for instance, our report on a session with trendwatchers from the Municipality of Amsterdam. The purpose, process, and impact on policy, projects, and actions vary across organisations. However, there was agreement that sharing methods and scenarios is valued, particularly in a neutral setting like our innovation network. It fosters mutual understanding and offers valuable lessons from each other's research methods and practical applications. In the coming period, we will explore how we can contribute to this in our network on various transition themes.

Would you like to know more about this study from the Province of North Holland? Feel free to send me a message, and I will connect you. Interested in brainstorming about how we can approach this more frequently or systematically within the network? Let me know at pelle@amsterdaminchange.com.

What do you actually need to make a shoe? And how can this production process be as sustainable and cost-efficient as possible? During our 25th Knowledge and Demo Day, Cenex Netherlands organized a workshop aimed at testing and improving their ‘Life Cycle Assessment’ (LCA) game. During this session, we set out to design a black Converse shoe.

How does the game work?

The LCA game revolves around raising awareness of the raw materials, production steps, and environmental impacts involved in making a product. Each team represents a fictional country, with access to specific resources like oil and wind energy. Players roll dice to acquire budgets, select materials (such as cotton, rubber, wool, etc.), and negotiate to perform processes like spinning and stitching. Green energy use is rewarded, while fossil fuels incur extra costs. Through this, teams gain insight into the trade-offs of sustainable and affordable production.

Key Takeaways and feedback from the session

This interactive session provided valuable feedback:
• Complexity: New players may find the game overwhelming. A suggestion to clearly indicate necessary materials and steps right from the start would make it more accessible, ensuring all participants start with a shared understanding.
• Focus on the core message: The core message — making the production process understandable — should be central. Fewer cards and a simpler setup would make the game more effective.
• Solutions and improvements: The game aims to provide a realistic view of the production process. Achieving a balance between detail and simplicity is essential to keep the focus on product development and sustainability.

Why participate?

During the session, we learned not only about product design but also discovered the challenges involved in sustainable material use and production processes. The game encouraged discussion, negotiation, and, most importantly, reflection on our role in sustainability. Whether on the team that won through a sustainable approach or not, all participants gained a crucial insight: the journey to sustainable production chains begins with awareness.

Do you want to learn more about the LCA game? Leave a comment below and we’ll connect you with Sanne or Pablo from Cenex Netherlands!