Always wanted to learn to 3D-print or lasercut, as to create a practical object or a beautiful piece of art?
Join us at the Makerspace of the Public Library for a free worskhop (check the website for what you need to bring & prepare!)
Join us on June 25 for the Sensor Discovery Tour, a guided walk through the bustling Leidseplein area — a real-time lab for smart city technologies. As sensors increasingly shape how we move, live, and feel safe, concerned citizens are asking: Who sees what, and why?
Combining the new Transparent City AR app prototype and your own phone we’ll reveal the invisible digital layer of the city — from cameras to air quality sensors — and explore what these devices measure, who owns the data, and how they impact our rights.
This isn’t just a tour — it’s a growing citizen-led movement for digital transparency in public space. Together, we’ll reflect on the ethics, ownership, and social value of urban tech. Led by experts in sensor policy and urban innovation, the tour invites Amsterdammers, technologists, designers, and policymakers to reimagine the smart city as open, visible, and accountable.
🕓 25 June 2025 | 16:00–18:00
📍 Start: Leidseplein | End: De Balie
🎟️ Free – registration required
As the world grapples with massive challenges—climate change, rapid urbanisation, digital disruption, and growing inequality—some cities are not waiting for top-down solutions. They are rolling up their sleeves and experimenting with new ways to improve life for everyone, block by block. Amsterdam is one of those cities.
That’s why I was proud to share Amsterdam InChanges approach to smart, inclusive urban innovation at the #CIPPCD2025 conference in Aveiro.
Through our open innovation platform, <strong>Amsterdam InChange</strong>, the city has become a global leader in turning lofty global ambitions into practical, local action. But Amsterdam’s model isn’t built around flashy tech or utopian blueprints. Instead, it’s grounded in an essential question: How can we use innovation to improve people’s everyday lives?
Local Action for Global Challenges
Amsterdam understands that the climate crisis, digital transition, and social inequality can’t be solved by government alone—or by technology alone. That’s why it launched Amsterdam Smart City in 2009 as a public-private partnership. What began as small-scale energy-saving pilots has grown into a community of over 8,500 members, coordinating more than 300 projects across the city and beyond.
The approach is rooted in co-creation. Citizens, companies, knowledge institutions, and government actors come together to design, test, and scale solutions that serve the public good. The values that guide the network are clear: people first, openness, transparency, learning by doing, and public value.
The Doughnut as a Compass
Amsterdam was the first city in the world to embrace Doughnut Economics as a guiding framework. The “City Doughnut,” developed with economist Kate Raworth, helps policymakers balance the city’s ecological footprint with the social foundations that all citizens need: housing, education, health, equity, and more. It’s a tool to align every local decision with both planetary boundaries and human dignity.
This framework has inspired circular construction strategies, neighbourhood energy co-ops, and more inclusive procurement policies. It shows that global concepts can become real when grounded in local practice.
Making Innovation Inclusive
One of Amsterdam’s core beliefs is that smart cities must be <strong>inclusive cities</strong>. That means tackling issues like <strong>mobility poverty</strong>, where rising transport costs and digital-only services make it harder for low-income or elderly residents to get around.
Through the <strong>Mobility Poverty Challenge</strong>, Amsterdam partnered with the Province of North Holland and researchers from DRIFT to understand where and how exclusion occurs—and to design better public mobility systems. Pilot ideas like a “Mobility Wallet” (a subsidy for essential travel) and more inclusive digital apps emerged from real conversations with affected residents.
The same inclusive mindset guides Amsterdam’s digital transformation. In the suburb of Haarlemmermeer, officials flipped the script on e-government. Instead of asking citizens to become “digitally skilled,” they asked how government systems could become more <strong>humane</strong>. This led to simplified interfaces, better access to services, and ultimately more trust.
Responsible Tech and Energy from the Ground Up
Tech transparency is another pillar of the Amsterdam model. The city runs the world’s first <strong>Algorithm Register</strong>, giving the public insight into how AI and automated systems are used in services—from traffic enforcement to housing applications. Anyone can access this register, offer feedback, and better understand how digital decisions are made.
In the energy space, the city supports both bold innovation and careful upscaling. At the <strong>Johan Cruijff ArenA</strong>, used electric vehicle batteries store solar energy, powering concerts and matches with clean backup power. At the same time, a coalition of partners led by Amsterdam InChange is working to scale up Local Energy Systems by collecting lessons learned and creating a toolkit for community-led energy.
What Makes It Work?
If there’s one secret to Amsterdam’s success, it’s the governance model: small, neutral facilitation teams guiding large multi-stakeholder coalitions, anchored by public trust and shared purpose. Regular Demo Days allow project teams to showcase progress, get feedback, and adapt. This culture of transparency and iteration helps avoid the so-called “innovation graveyard,” where pilot projects go to die.
The city also embraces failure—as long as it’s shared and learned from. Reports like “Organising Smart City Projects” openly list lessons, from the importance of strong leadership to the need for viable business models and continuous user involvement.
An Invitation to Other Cities
Amsterdam’s smart city is not a blueprint—it’s a mindset. Start with your biggest local challenge. Bring the right people together. Make space for experimentation. Build bridges between local and global. And, above all, put citizens at the centre.
As international smart city ambassador Frans-Anton Vermast puts it: “We’re not just creating technology for cities—we’re creating better cities for people.”
The III International Conference on Public Policies and Data Science
Call to all aspiring leaders!
Are you looking for the next step in advancing your leadership and management skills in alignment with your current role?
Join our upcoming info session on June 11th to learn more about the Transformation Leadership Programme (TLP) – Digital Society School’s part-time programme designed for professionals ready to lead change in the digital and sustainable transition.
We’re looking for Netherlands-based professionals with a Master’s degree and at least 2 years of relevant work experience, particularly with skills in project and team management.
During the info session we will be joined by former Transformation Owners from the TLP track who will share their own experiences during the programme.
The info session will take place online on June 11th 16:00 CET. See you then!
