15 Mobility and tech firms pledge to create livable cities

If cities are the engines of economic growth, an efficient transport system is the oil that prevents these engines from seizing up. With that said, one of the features that should define the future of our cities is a sustainable transport. Urban transport is undeniably an indispensable component of city life that should be taken …

Singapore, Barcelona, London notch the top global smart cities list

Which cities in the world today are widely regarded as the best smart cities? What accounts for their success? In a report published by Philips Lighting and Smart CitiesWorld, Singapore, London and Barcelona were named the best smart cities. The reasons behind the choice: Singapore, for its forward-thinking infrastructure including its buildings, transportation and use …

Shaping communities through culture and creativity – Andreea Iager Tako

“Doers, no matter what industry they come from, need to come together more often to share their experiences and know-how, draw basic infrastructures to make their work impactful, reach more of the public, do ultimately more good things and make the world better,” said Andreea Iager Tako, one of the founders of PLAI festival in …

Google to build North America’s largest smart city

It’s official! Google’s Sidewalk Lab and Waterfront Toronto have agreed to carve down the Quayside area in Canada’s largest city as the “test bed” for what many has called the “city of the future.” Some call it a bold experiment. Others are skeptical of allowing algorithm creators to take control of lives of city dwellers. Still …

Tackling the issue of privacy in smart cities

The world is experiencing a two-fold transformation process: a fast-paced urban development revolution and an accelerating smart city evolution. The race to making cities smart is a global trend. The concept of smart city evokes the image of ICT-infused infrastructures that enable the extensive monitoring and steering of city maintenance, urban mobility, air quality, waste …

Power of two: CodeAcross hackatons in Canada

There are two governance reforms that are becoming rapidly important in the area of governance across different countries as they serve as valuable channels to enhance transparency, openness, integrity, accountability and civic participation in cities, to wit: open data movement and the civic tech movement. The open data movement is a recent form of social …