Hoe ontwerpen we samen de slimme stad?

In early November, I travelled to Barcelona for the third time to attend the Smart City Expo World Congress. Together with the Amsterdam InChange Team, some of our network partners, and the Dutch delegation, we put together a strong content-focused programme, gained inspiration, and strengthened both international and national connections. In this article, I’ll briefly share some of my personal highlights from this trip. 

International Delegations: Building International Connections and Knowledge Exchange at the Expo

During the congress, I organised several guided visits from the Dutch Pavilion in collaboration with the DMI-Ecosystem. The aim of these visits was to connect the Dutch delegation with international colleagues and facilitate knowledge exchange. At the busy expo, full of companies, cities, regions, and conference stages, it’s really appreciated to join planned meetings on specific themes. It’s also a great chance to meet many international representatives in just a few days, since everyone is in the same place at the same time. 

We visited and connected with the pavilions of EIT Urban Mobility, Forum Virium (Helsinki), the European Commission, and Catalonian innovations. Topics such as The Future of Mobility, Digital Twins, and Net Zero Cities were central to the discussions. It was a good opportunity to strengthen existing networks and establish new connections. For myself, for Amsterdam InChange, and for the participants joining the meetings.  

A few aspects of the visits particularly stood out to me. At Forum Virium Helsinki we met with Timo Sillander and Jaana Halonen. I was impressed by their work with Digital Twins. They focus not only on the technology itself and the efficiency of urban systems, but also on the social dimensions a digital simulation can play into. Think of; unequal distributions of risks related to climate change and extreme weather conditions.  

I also appreciated the efforts of the European Commission. They are working to make it easier to navigate research topics, funding opportunities, and findings related to themes like energy-neutral cities. With their new marketplace, there is more focus on small and medium-sized cities across Europe, helping them to benefit from innovations that are often developed in larger urban areas.   

Collaborating Internationally on a Regional Challenge: Zero-Emission Zones and City Logistics

On Tuesday, my colleague Chris and I organised a session on zero-emission city logistics. We brought together representatives from Oslo, Helsinki, Stockholm, Munich, and EIT Urban Mobility, as well as the Dutch municipalities of Haarlemmermeer and Amsterdam. 

The session built on connections we made during other events on Sunday and Monday, bringing together an international group of stakeholders interested in this topic. During the discussion, we compared how different cities are approaching zero-emission zones and identified shared challenges, particularly in policymaking and working with logistics companies and local entrepreneurs. 

It was interesting to see how this topic lends itself so well to international comparison and exchange. For instance, while Amsterdam will be one of the first to implement a strict ZE zone in the city centre, other cities are already ahead in areas like charging infrastructure and the transition to cargo bikes. The group was eager to keep the discussion going, and we’re already planning a follow-up online meeting to continue learning from one another.  

Future-Proof Sports Fields, International Dinners, and Bicycles

Finally, a few other topics worth mentioning: I joined an international session hosted by the City of Amsterdam about future-proof sports fields. It was inspiring to reflect on the value and potential of sports fields for neighbourhoods, as well as their use as testing grounds for sustainable innovations. For me, the session reinforced how important these spaces are for local communities in cities, and sparked a new personal interest in this subject. 

I also really enjoyed both our own international changemakers’ dinner and another international dinner hosted by Drees & Sommer (thanks for the invitation!). Bringing together an international network — whether as individuals or in small groups — and mixing them at the table sparked meaningful conversations that felt different from those during the formal congress sessions or workshops. 

Lastly, it’s great to see more Superblocks and bicycles in the city every year! Go Barcelona! 

My name is Pınar Ebe-Güzgü, a PhD student at İzmir Katip Çelebi University, Turkey, currently conducting research at the University of Twente. My doctoral research focuses on social justice and disadvantaged groups in the context of smart city applications, with a particular emphasis on the mobility of elderly people (defined by WHO as people over the age of 65).

As part of my research, I conduct in-depth interviews with residents (aged 65+) of Amsterdam, caretakers of elderly individuals, and those working on (or with expertise in) smart city initiatives. The goal is to explore the mobility experiences of 65+ people in Amsterdam and develop policy recommendations to enhance social justice in urban management.

If you would like to share your experiences, your participation in this research would be invaluable. All interviews will be conducted at a time and format that suits you.

Thank you for your time and consideration. Your insights will greatly contribute to our understanding of how smart city applications impact the mobility and quality of life of older individuals.

If you are interested in participating, please reach out to me via the email address below:
p.ebe-guzgu@utwente.nl

Best regards,
Pınar Ebe-Güzgü

(Er zijn slechts 100 plekken beschikbaar, waarbij City Deal-partners voorrang krijgen) Aan alles komt een eind, dus ook aan zoiets leuks als de City Deal ‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat.’

We stoppen ermee
De City Deal ‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat’ loopt formeel af op 31 december en de stuurgroep heeft besloten de City Deal niet te verlengen. Dat is omdat we vinden dat de smartcitymarkt in een volgende fase is gekomen. Van innovatie naar opschaling . Het DMI-ecosysteem is daar het mooiste voorbeeld van. De City Deal stopt dus wegens succes.

Er zijn slechts 100 plekken beschikbaar, waarbij City Deal-partners voorrang krijgen. Meld je snel aan om verzekerd te zijn van een plek op dit inspirerende event. Meld je hier aan 

Slotevent City Deal ‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat’ – Vier samen met ons de toekomst van slimme steden

Kom naar het feestelijke slotevent van de City Deal ‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat’, waarin we in een talkshow-setting terugblikken op alles wat we samen hebben bereikt én een blik vooruit werpen op wat er nog in het verschiet ligt. Dit event markeert het einde van een bijzondere samenwerking, en biedt jou de kans om inspiratie op te doen en waardevolle inzichten te delen.

Wat kun je verwachten (concept)?
Lessen en Visies – Samen verkennen we wat we hebben geleerd: van de kracht van samenwerken in een ecosysteem tot het belang van visie en doorzettingsvermogen. We delen onze inzichten over de uitdagingen en successen die we tijdens corona hebben doorstaan en hoe die ons sterker hebben gemaakt.
Lancering van ons nieuwe boek – Dit boek wordt een onmisbare bron voor iedereen die zich inzet voor slimme steden. Ontdek hoe de City Deal ook jou kan inspireren en ondersteunen.

Initiatieven als ‘AI in de Stad’ en DMI – Samen met de zaal gaan we in gesprek over belangrijke nieuwe initiatieven zoals DMI en ‘AI in de Stad’. Waar liggen kansen en wie kunnen we nog verbinden om verder te groeien?
Resultaten en Toekomstige Thema’s – We delen enkele hoogtepunten en resultaten van onze City Deal en belichten thema’s die klaar zijn voor verdere verdieping en groei.

Let op: Beperkte plekken beschikbaar! – Er zijn slechts 100 plekken beschikbaar, waarbij City Deal-partners voorrang krijgen. Meld je snel aan om verzekerd te zijn van een plek op dit inspirerende event. Meld je hier aan 

Mis deze unieke gelegenheid niet om met gelijkgestemden te praten, jouw ideeën te delen en geïnspireerd te raken door de resultaten en toekomstvisies van slimme steden. Samen maken we van deze afsluiting een startpunt voor iets nieuws.
Dit jaar ronden we de City Deal af en borgen we de resultaten. Dat laten we zien in dit slotevenement. Zorg dat je erbij bent!
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Datum: 23 januari 2025
Tijd: 12:00 – 18:00
Locatie: Prodentfabriek Amersfoort
Meld je hier aan