Digital innovation

City of Things

The City of Antwerp, Flanders and imec have joined forces to turn Antwerp into a Living Lab. The whole city has become a real-life experimenting ground where companies, researchers and people are testing out smart technologies together.

An intricate network of smart sensors and wireless gateways has been incorporated into structures all over Antwerp under the City of Things project.  The data collected in that way will enable enterprises and residents to develop and test innovative applications. These smart applications will make the city more digital, more mobile, more sustainable and safer. 

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Smart city

City of Things is important on two levels: for startups, which are able to optimize their products and services before they bring them to market, and for Antwerp residents, whose urban environment is improved. This fits in with Antwerp’s ambition to become a true smart city: a city which tackles urban challenges in a smart way, in collaboration with citizens and enterprises. The Internet of Things and real-time open data play a key role in this respect. The City is focusing on five priorities: smart mobility, smart security, smart materials and energy management, smart management and smart citizens. 

With City of Things, Antwerp is Europe’s largest Living Lab where Internet of Things technologies can be tested. This definitely puts the City on the map as the reference for new smart city applications.
 

Open data

Antwerp aims to evolve into a ‘smart city’, which provides solutions to urban challenges in areas such as mobility, healthcare and security. But, without open data, a city’s ambition to become a true smart city cannot become a reality. Especially in the context of projects such as Apps from Antwerp and City of Things, which provide startups with a unique open test environment, it is important for entrepreneurs to be able to use real-time open data. 

The City is also strongly committed to a new digital strategy. In cooperation with Digipolis, the data collected and recorded in the city is disclosed in accordance with the legislation on privacy. Anyone can freely use this data to develop, test and optimize innovative digital products and services.

Buy from Startups

What better way for a city to support startups than by purchasing their products or services? With ‘Buy from startups’, the City of Antwerp and IT partner Digipolis are giving the local economy and startups a boost. 

Peter Crombecq, CEO of Digipolis, is wildly enthusiastic about the initial results. “Until recently, we were working mainly with larger companies in the ICT world. Before we bought a product, whether software, an app or a complete platform, we would draft tender documents. Usually, the contract was awarded to the same major suppliers. Now, our procurement process is totally different. Instead of the traditional specifications, we organise challenges and pitch sessions. That means we can look for flexible startups with a fresh look on things.”

SELECT for Cities

The City and Digipolis have also joined forces with Helsinki and Copenhagen for the SELECT for Cities project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme. European companies competing under SELECT for Cities can hope to get grants to develop an open, data-driven platform to enable large-scale testing and linking of Internet-of-Things applications. This platform further strengthens the bonds between citizens, companies and public authorities.

Configured as a competition, SELECT for Cities is based on a three-phase tender process: concept, prototype and larger-scale living lab. Participants will have to get through the selection to develop their solution. The winning platform will be rolled out in all three smart cities: Antwerp, Helsinki and Copenhagen.