Our network is our strength! This was proved once again at our well-attended Demo Day on October 11 this year. Pitches, work sessions and then continue talks during drinks. Everyone went home satisfied and inspired. At least that was our feeling! Read our short summary below.
About our Demo Days
The Demo Days are one of the tools we use to stimulate innovation and encourage connection between our partners and community. The purpose of the Demo Days 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 Demo Days can be found here.
Recap Demo Day #17
Smart Doorbells – Sofie-Amalie Torp Dideriksen from Responsible Sensing Lab
The Responsible Sensing Lab explores how to integrate public values in the design of smart systems in the public space. Sofie-Amalie Torp Dideriksen researched alternative smart doorbell designs, with the goal of redesigning the smart doorbell with a focus on privacy. During our Demo Day we talked about the power and the use of data from smart doorbells. In the Netherlands we have more than half a million bells like this. This means a lot of extra cameras on the streets, which also film public areas. At the moment, regulations regarding smart doorbells are not enforced. Additionally, smart doorbells are vulnerable to external attacks and manufacturers such as Google and Amazon are unclear about who owns the data captured by the doorbells. There’s a power difference going on, the owner has a lot more data about the visitor than the other way around.
How can we raise awareness and/or encourage discussion about smart doorbells and their impact? How can we design privacty-friendly doorbells? Responsible Sensing lab is working on this topic. Does it ring a bell?
Marineterrein Amsterdam Living Lab, A Regulatory Sandbox - Gianluca van der Putten & Juanita Devis Clavajio from MALL
One of the goals of Marineterrein Amsterdam Living Lab (MALL) is to become a regulatory “sandbox” or “free-zone”, enabling the testing of innovations which are yet not fully compliant with existing legal and regulatory frameworks. In reality, achieving this “sandbox” status is challenging as most experiments in public space require a permit.
In this work session, a mix of experts and stakeholders from Amsterdam’s innovation and start-up ecosystem were joined by colleagues from the Floriade (Almere) and Scheveningen (The Hague) living labs. One of the most important insight from the session was that rather than thinking about sandboxes as spaces where rules don’t apply, we should think of sandboxes as places where policy innovations can be tested. This requires close collaboration with policy makers who are willing to experiment with new governance and regulatory approaches.
One participant suggested positioning MALL as the “Efteling of Innovation”, taking a theme-park approach to designing a testing environment that engages, inspires, - and entertains - the public on urban innovation topics.
Scaling up the “15% GasTerug actienetwerk” – Edwin Oskam from metropoolregio Amsterdam and Marc van Gemert from gemeente Amsterdam
The ‘Actienetwerk 15% Gas Terug’ is an initiative by a coalition of partners in the Amsterdam region. This network is aiming on reduction of gas usage and demand by at least 15%. Edwin Oskam (MRA & Gemeente Amsterdam) shared various initiatives that contribute to this goal. The network is reaching out to citizens, small-to-medium businesses, office locations and business parks, with help of instruments like knowledge-sharing, campaigns and monitoring. In this session, participants shared opportunities they see in their personal or professional environment. The group also contributed on enhancing the approach of the network, by creative solutions such as involving and learning children about saving energy through escaperooms, podcast or organizing hackatons.
Do you know initiatives that could or already help reducing demand of gas? Please share this with the network, via www.ikzetookdeknopom.nl
EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) collaboration for the circular economy - Juan-Carlos Goilo from municipality of Amsterdam
How could the city of Amsterdam, companies and institutions work together to monitor the circular economy and create insight into data? The CSRD could be a starting point in this collaboration. Big companies have to report on sustainability data starting 2024.
The participants of this session discussed what kind of collaboration would be desired and possible. They concluded that data exchange between the companies and the city would already be of great use. The city could also provide monitoring models that could be used modularly depending on the company sectors and share knowledge on monitoring and preparation for the CSRD. There will certainly be more sessions on this topic with Amsterdam Smart City partners to create more clarity on the different needs and options.
Mobility poverty – Maxim Burlini from the Province of Noord-Holland
Increasing inflation and rising petrol and gas prices threaten to make mobility unaffordable for many people. How do we ensure mobility for these people to ensure that they can continue to participate in society? Maxim presented the findings of a short study into mobility poverty that he conducted. In a lively discussion a lot of input was generated. It was argued that it is about fairness, more than inclusiveness. This requires a change in the system and in thinking about this problem. Some keynotes where that shared mobility should not be left solely to market principles but should also be targeted at low-income groups. And that schemes for bikes targeted at children in deprived areas are successful to enhance biking as an alternative for (expensive) car use and public transport. This type of concrete, targeted action is much more necessary in the coming years.
In short, everyone agrees that mobility poverty is a real problem, that the problem will increase in the coming years and that we must do something about it. Together with DRIFT, the province of Noord-Holland will further develop this in one of the challenges in Amsterdam Smart City.
Want to join the next Demo Day?
Be welcome! Our next Demo Day takes place on the 13th of December in the afternoon. This will be a special edition, a lot of pitches with a focus on the progress everyone made this year. It’s all about making impact together. Feel free to get in contact Sophie via sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com if you are interested in joining the Demo Day or let us know in the comments. We are happy to talk with you to find out if it's a match!
