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fira barcelona smart city expo
fira barcelona smart city expo

The Smart City Expo Barcelona 2024, commonly known as Smart City Barcelona, is one of the world’s most important events dedicated to urban innovation and technology applied to cities, transforming them into smart spaces. From 5th to 7th November at Fira de Barcelona, the congress will bring together thousands of experts, industry leaders, authorities, and companies to discuss and present the latest trends and solutions that are completely redefining our cities.

This year, the event promises to be more impactful than ever, with a renewed focus on how cities can become more sustainable, resilient, and efficient through technology. Let’s take a closer look!

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Highlights of Smart City Barcelona

What can you expect from Smart City Barcelona? Alongside a wide variety of exhibitions, workshops, talks, and live demonstrations covering key topics such as urban mobility, digitalisation, sustainability, and artificial intelligence applied to the urban environment, the event will also feature a host of innovative startups, major corporations, and prominent figures sharing their ideas on how to transform cities to improve quality of life.

Among the most anticipated themes this year are smart mobility solutions: autonomous electric vehicles, interconnected public transport systems and traffic management through artificial intelligence, and big data. There’s also significant interest in renewable energy solutions, particularly those that aim to make cities more self-sufficient and reduce their carbon footprint.

Another key focus at the Smart City Congress Barcelona will be the presentation of new waste management technologies, with the potential to implement intelligent recycling systems that, for instance, can sort waste without human intervention.

In addition, there’s increasing emphasis on improving urban security through the use of smarter cameras, predictive analysis, and rapid-response systems.

A must-see aspect of the event is the spotlight on the digitalisation of public services. Can you imagine being able to communicate easily with your local government to complete an administrative task via an app, or actively participate in community decisions with just one click?

Public policies and strategies that local governments can adopt to promote more balanced and environmentally friendly urban development will also be discussed.

Ultimately, the goal is to inspire cities worldwide to adopt more sustainable practices and consider the long-term impact of their planning and development decisions.

The crucial role of technology in the future of urban life

Looking back, how much has urban life changed thanks to technology? Quite positively, right? Digitalisation has not only improved the efficiency of public services. Nowadays, for example, you can know exactly when your bus will arrive or book an appointment for an administrative task without leaving your sofa.

Now imagine all that the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and real-time data analysis can still achieve. Is there a traffic jam? AI analyses and resolves it by making simple adjustments to traffic signals. Is there excessive air pollution? A protocol is activated quickly, allowing authorities to respond in time before it becomes a public health issue.

Urban planning has also become much easier with the arrival of technological tools. At Smart City Barcelona, you’ll have the opportunity to see many of these first-hand and help shape the cities of the future by using them.

Speakers and presentations you can’t miss at Smart City Expo Barcelona

The Smart City Barcelona boasts a packed schedule of activities, but undoubtedly one of the main attractions for many visitors is the presentations and talks. These will feature leaders from tech companies, mayors of major cities, researchers, and representatives from international organisations such as Mayor Carter, Mariusz Sagan, Stephanie Hare, and Fabrizio Rossi.

Their presentations and panels will cover topics ranging from strategies for the digitalisation of public services to the analysis of successful case studies of implementing smart solutions in other cities. Check out the full list of speakers here.

Countless networking opportunities at Smart City Barcelona

One of the biggest draws of Barcelona Smart City is the chance to expand your professional network and meet others in the sector. The event provides an ideal environment for networking, with multiple spaces dedicated to meetings, some of them highly formal and others more relaxed. So whether you’re looking for a collaborator or to hire someone and prefer a more laid-back setting, you’ll find it here.

Furthermore, Smart City Barcelona 2024 is an excellent platform for exchanging ideas and fostering collaboration. And for those who might be a bit shy, the event features “speed networking” sessions—quick introduction rounds to break the ice.

Are you coming to Smart City Barcelona, the year’s top tech event for cities?

As you can see, Smart City Barcelona is not a one-way event, but rather an opportunity to discover how technology and innovation are transforming our cities and to contribute to this change.

In any case, this congress is a must-visit if you’re interested in urban development and technology. And we haven’t mentioned it yet, but you should buy your ticket in advance so you don’t miss the event—and also book your accommodation early.

If you’re looking for a place to stay near Smart City 2024 in Barcelona, you’re in luck! At Key Barcelona, we have plenty of accommodations in the area that will suit you perfectly. Check out our website and make sure you don’t miss out!