Deadline: 18 May 2020
In 2017 the European Commission launched the Digital Cities Challenge to help 41 cities across the EU transform their digital policy to make their urban space more enjoyable for everyone. This year the Commission is going a step further to help 100 cities become greener, more social and smarter in the Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC).
Cities shape the future of the EU. 72% of EU citizens live in them (United Nations). And city ecosystems are powerful actors of change. 50% of the reductions necessary to reach net zero can be achieved at city level (C40). The right technologies targeted to the right problems can deliver green, smart and sustainable growth for cities – improving the quality of life for everyone who calls them home.
ICC will unite EU cities in seizing the opportunity for green smart sustainable growth, improving the quality of life and fostering new opportunities for citizens. 100 cities will receive world-class support – in person, online, and as a community.
The vision of the ICC is to create a European network of 100 intelligent cities that exploit the potential of emerging technologies and take ambitious steps to improve the quality of life of their citizens and ensure growth, sustainability and resilience.
To this extent, the ICC will act as a driver for cities willing to live up to a simple expectation: that they can play a leading role in driving a technological revolution which will lead not only to increased growth and competitiveness, but more importantly, to healthier, greener and more sustainable living conditions and spaces of the EU’s citizens. Effective technologies targeted to the right problems can deliver green, smart and sustainable growth for cities – improving the quality of life for everyone who calls them home. In this sense, the ICC is a unique and first-of-its-kind initiative, not only because of its scale and the uniqueness of its targets (i.e. small-to-medium-scale cities with unleashed potential), but also due to its holistic approach to building a better future for Europe.
What do cities stand to gain from participating in the ICC?
ICC supports cities in implementing transformation strategies to address common challenges in becoming an intelligent city. The cities chosen to take part in the ICC will receive free-of-charge support needed to develop and implement strategies aimed at making them greener, more liveable and more intelligent. This will enable them to take full advantage of digital and non-digital technologies, to improve the quality of life of their citizens and ensure growth, sustainability and resilience. Through their participation in the Challenge, cities will:
- Review existing strategies based on real stakeholder needs, and form a prioritized step-by-step roadmap;
- Use these to deliver quick win projects in the first 6 months, followed by larger projects that together result in a measurable improvement on city life.
- Become part of an international self-sustaining network of innovation and collaboration working towards the SDGs. By the end of the programme, cities should expect to not only be transformed in their use of intelligent and advanced technologies, but long term, self-sustaining benefits:
- Quick win commitments in the first 6 months;
- Centre-stage of a new EU marketplace, designed for cities, SMEs, and a wide range of urban businesses;
- Joint investments to seek funding from EU financial instruments;
- New perspectives on the city’s needs, progress, strengths as well as new opportunities for citizens affected by the transition to a greener economy;
- Learning from and developing long term collaborations with international mentors.
- Measurable impacts that matter to the citizens in 2 years;
- Beneficiary cities will receive tailored support from a dedicated team of experts to design and roll out initiatives aimed at reaching established city ICC goals. In addition, participation offers a unique opportunity to build inter-city networks and collaborations with peers across Europe and beyond. As part of the ICC journey, each city will gain access to the following:
- Expert advice tailored to your city: regional specialists will deliver a programme based on the collective expert experience of over 100 smart city strategies, tailored to the biggest thematic issues for your city – be it energy, mobility or clean manufacturing, or other local priorities. This will include a number of local visits to your city and meetings with ecosystem stakeholders;
- Community conventions – for action over talk: regular gathering of EU smart ecosystem to compare performance; hear from world class speakers, receive targeted training; celebrate success and commit to shared action – procurement, standards or shaping marketplaces;
- Online toolbox to activate enablers: get best practice guidance on key enablers (e.g., creating value out of open data, breaking down market barriers for SMEs, finding new outcome-driven business models). Use also innovative tools to engage citizens to understand their views and help them track your progress;
- Mentoring to make partnerships – at home and abroad: get 1-on-1 guidance from the most innovative cities in the EU, who can steer you on your journey and connect you with their own solutions. Interact also with global participants, to learn, to trade and to create new markets.
Policy Goals
The ICC can act as a catalyst for cities to implement policy agendas aimed at achieving green, social and intelligent transformative changes. Participation in the ICC can be linked to the following city goals:
- Transforming industry, green manufacturing and clean production
- Growing start-ups, SMEs and social economy
- Transforming and greening construction, housing and urban management
- Smart and sustainable tourism
- Smart and green mobility and transport
- eGovernment and digitising public services
- Enhancing citizen participation and connectivity
- Promoting health and wellbeing of citizens
- Supporting safety and security
- Innovative education and training for up- and re-skilling
- Waste management and circular economy
- Scaling up renewable energy solutions and energy-efficiency
- Efficient management of water and water systems
- Sustainable use and management of natural resources
- Sustainable and resilient food systems
- Climate resilience and disaster management. In their applications, cities will be asked to identify up to four city goals and sectors they wish to build their involvement in the ICC on. This will constitute the basis for the development of thematic networks within the ICC community. Expressions of interest should also be tailored to these selected city goals.
Duration
The Intelligent Cities Challenge has a total duration of 25 months, running from June 2020 to July 2022. Selected cities are expected to remain engaged in the ICC throughout this time.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible, applicants must comply with the following:
- Be from an EU Member State;
- A local public government entity (i.e. municipalities, districts) that are either responsible for or involved in the funding and/or implementation of a policy or programme of a city related to digital transformation, smart / intelligent city, sustainable urban development.
- Located within the European Union.
- Representing cities with more than 50 000 inhabitants.
The following cities are not eligible to apply:
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- EU cities with less than 50 000 inhabitants and not applying as part of a consortium.
- Cities located outside of the EU.
- Cities with advanced levels of digital technology for sustainability uptake and well developed ecosystems. Applications from cities located in EU outermost / island regions are actively encouraged.
For more information, visit https://www.intelligentcitieschallenge.eu/