Track: | Infrastructure & Building |

What are investors really looking for in the next generation of startups? In this fast-paced reverse pitch session, leading venture capital investors, impact investors and ecosystem builders will share the technologies, sectors and founder profiles they are most excited about. From climate and energy to mobility, infrastructure and urban innovation, discover how investors identify startups that combine growth potential with positive urban, social and environmental impact, and how impact investing and inclusive entrepreneurship are helping shape the cities of tomorrow.

How do we plan, build and operate the cities of tomorrow? This session brings together startups transforming urban infrastructure and the built environment through predictive intelligence, AI-powered planning, climate-responsive design, sustainable construction, energy innovation and smarter public spaces. Discover solutions helping cities become more efficient, resilient and future-ready.

What makes a startup stand out in Construction Tech, PropTech and urban infrastructure? Bringing together perspectives from venture capital, startup acceleration and ecosystem building, this conversation explores what investors look for, how startups can validate market demand, build strategic partnerships and scale successfully. Practical insights for founders preparing to raise capital, accelerate adoption and grow their businesses.

Innovation happens when ideas, people and opportunities come together. In this opening conversation, discover the vision behind Innovation Playground and how it connects startups, investors, researchers and city leaders to accelerate urban innovation. Get an overview of the Startup Program, featuring innovators from around the world addressing key urban challenges, alongside the Demo Area, Investors Program, dedicated 1:1 matchmaking opportunities between startups and investors, and networking initiatives designed to turn connections into collaboration and impact.

How can European expertise help build smarter, more sustainable cities worldwide? This session explores how Global Gateway is helping connect cities, investors and technology providers to develop sustainable urban infrastructure worldwide. Bringing together DG INTPA, EU companies and representatives from partner countries in the Global South, the discussion will explore how innovation, investment and local partnerships can accelerate smart city solutions for global impact.

Smart cities started with infrastructure. Now they are evolving to put people first, and culture and creativity are part of how. Hosted by EIT Culture & Creativity, this side event brings together startups, universities and local authorities to explore what that looks like in practice. Expect conversations on how cities learn, build and adapt, from education and digital platforms to new materials, design and resilience.

Check out the full programme and speakers here.

Airport cities are often isolated, technically advanced entities ideal as test environments for other business districts. Although discussed for decades, market forces have not fully discovered their potential, and airports often develop urban environments without being aware of it. This stream aims to highlight the opportunities and challenges of airport city development and to foster dialogue with other neighbourhood developments.

Cities are rethinking how urban spaces are designed, built, and maintained in response to growing environmental, social, and economic pressures. Innovation in infrastructure, construction, and urban planning is driving a shift toward more sustainable, resilient, and adaptable urban environments. As cities expand and transform, the focus is moving beyond growth alone to creating spaces that improve quality of life, optimize resources, and respond to future challenges. The next generation of urban development will depend on integrated approaches that combine sustainability, efficiency, technology, and human-centered design to shape smarter and more livable cities.

Digital tools are fundamentally changing how cities conceive, deliver, and operate the built environment. What was once a fragmented process is evolving into a more connected, intelligent, and data-driven ecosystem, where design, construction, and operations are increasingly linked across the full lifecycle. This session examines how technologies such as BIM, digital twins, advanced simulation, and automation are transforming the way urban assets are planned, delivered, and managed, opening new possibilities for efficiency, coordination, and performance. In doing so, it reflects on how buildtech is contributing to a more sustainable, resilient, and future-ready urban environment.

The way cities design, build and manage their built environment has changed forever. Digital tools are driving efficiency, reducing waste and unlocking new levels of coordination across the entire development lifecycle

Urban regeneration is no longer only about renewing buildings or infrastructure, but about reshaping everyday life in the city. This session will explore how cities can reclaim and redesign neighborhoods and public spaces to make them more livable, inclusive, safe and resilient, bringing together governance, planning, design, investment and innovation to create lasting public value.

As cities adapt to growing pressures such as climate change and population growth, urban leaders must rethink infrastructure, buildings, and energy systems to build safer, more sustainable, and future-ready urban environments. Built on today’s breakthroughs and tomorrow’s innovations, what lies ahead is both ambitious and fast approaching. Yet making this vision a reality will require the right funding models and strategic partnerships. This plenary explores what resilient urban infrastructure could look like by 2050, and how AI, energy systems, adaptive design principles, and new models of collaboration may reshape the future of urban life.

Welcome to our 2026 edition – the global stage where urban innovation comes to life. This opening session sets the tone for an exciting journey ahead, with a warm welcome from Smart City Expo director Ugo Valenti and Tomorrow.Mobility president Marc Rozendal. Joining them are high-level representatives who will share how territories around the world are becoming better places to live and thrive. Get ready for three action-packed days of bold ideas and groundbreaking strategies from around the globe.

Discover the key ideas, emerging trends and standout innovations shaping Innovation Playground. Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for Day 2, this session offers a snapshot of the startups, investors, researchers and city innovators driving the program. We will revisit key takeaways, spotlight new connections and opportunities emerging across the ecosystem, and preview the sessions, activities and innovation challenges still to come, including the research-focused program on Day 3.

This workshop brings together DG INTPA delegation of public sector officials from Latin America, Africa and Asean to present urban investment projects and exchange with European companies on digital twins and municipal data infrastructure. Contact [email protected] if you want to join this workshop.

What makes a city a place to belong—and a source of possibilities no one has yet imagined? GS E&C introduces Life Weaver, a vision for connecting the spaces we build with richer everyday lives. From a private's perspective, this keynote explores how thoughtful design, research and partnerships can set the stage for people to shape what comes next: a city whose possibilities keep unfolding, beyond the original plan.

Leveraging on the UN-Habitat Housing Primer Course, recently launched at the World Urban Forum 13 in Baku, UN-Habitat facilitators will identify gaps and opportunities in capacity building and development concerning the innovation sphere and lay the groundwork for a first training module that will combine housing affordability with innovation.

A relaxed moment to have a drink and mingle with other attendees at the venue’s main entrance after the World Smart City Awards gala.

The annual World Smart City Awards is a prestigious international competition that seeks to recognize pioneering projects, solutions, and city strategies that drive meaningful change for citizens and push urban transformation forward.

Discover the pioneering projects selected for the finals of this year’s edition.

Europe faces two interconnected challenges: the climate emergency and the housing crisis. This session explores how affordable housing can drive urban decarbonization through public policies, innovative housing models, circular construction and cross-sector collaboration, highlighting how bureaucratic simplification can enable innovation in housing design and delivery.

By 2030, data centers will account for 8.6% of global energy demand. As capacity triples in Europe and sprawl accelerates in North America, cities face unprecedented pressure on land and resources. This session addresses how strategic land-use policy and zoning can transition these facilities from isolated, resource-heavy sites into integrated, dense, and climate-aligned urban infrastructure.

Most of what makes a smart city work isn’t visible. It sits in the background: networks, sensors, data centers, and devices quietly enabling all aspects of urban life. As cities rely more on real-time data and AI, this underlying infrastructure is under growing pressure to deliver faster, more reliable performance. That shift is driving innovation, while making issues such as cybersecurity, long-term maintenance, and the resilience of critical infrastructure in the face of disruptions and emerging threats increasingly important. Getting this foundation right is key to keeping urban systems running smoothly, securely, and at scale.

Exploring Iraq’s smart city strategy, vision, challenges and opportunities, through the case of Karbala, highlighting innovation, sustainable development and the future of urban infrastructure in the country.

How can cities build resilient digital infrastructure while integrating AI and the digital economy from day one? Alatau City, Kazakhstan, presents its vision for an AI-native smart city built on core digital infrastructure, including data centers, IoT sensors, communication networks, and unified data platforms. The session explores how this physical and digital backbone enables urban digital twins, AI-driven city management, and tokenization by default, while supporting infrastructure resilience, sustainable urban development, and new investment opportunities.

Behind every smart city is a material backbone: data centers, sensors, networks and devices. Exploring the physical infrastructure that makes urban connectivity possible – and vulnerable.

A unique opportunity to learn first-hand how technology, data and innovation are transforming operational efficiency, service quality and decision-making in Facility Management

Across cities, the push to reduce emissions is reshaping how buildings and infrastructure are designed, upgraded, and managed. What was once a series of isolated interventions is becoming a more coordinated effort, bringing together buildings, energy systems, and urban infrastructure. Retrofitting existing assets, improving energy performance, and adopting low-carbon materials are now central strategies, alongside the integration of renewables and smarter energy management. At the same time, resilience is moving up the agenda, influencing how infrastructure is designed and maintained. Delivering on these ambitions requires new approaches to financing, governance, and collaboration across the entire urban ecosystem.

Today, society relies on energy production, transportation, and construction technologies that can reduce its carbon footprint. This dialogue focuses on how to apply them in urban environments to maximize their benefits and improve the impact of cities on both the environment and their inhabitants.

Retrofitting, green building standards and low-emission infrastructure: How are cities upgrading existing assets and creating new solutions to meet future needs?

Designing greener cities is not simply an environmental ambition, but a practical urban priority tied to resilience, public health, and quality of life. This session explores how cities are moving from vision to implementation through parks, urban forests, green corridors, and other nature-based solutions, while addressing the governance, financing, and delivery challenges that often shape their impact. Bringing together case-based experiences, the discussion will look at what is working, how cities are embedding green infrastructure into broader urban strategies, and what it takes to scale these interventions in ways that deliver tangible benefits for both people and the urban environment.