SCIFI
Smart Cities Innovation Framework Implementation
Priority Axis
Technological and Social InnovationSpecific objective
Framework Conditions for Innovation
Lead partner
Stad MechelenContact
Begindatum
01/07/2017Einddatum
31/12/2021Project budget
3 165 503 €ERDF amount
1 899 302 €ERDF rate
60%Over
Common challenge
The market for public sector open data in Europe is €22,1B (EC 2015). Regional Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3) encourage smart innovation. Eg the private sector has data-based technologies available that can reduce traffic by directing cars to available parking. 2Seas cities are looking for solutions like these for their congested centres. However, the 2Seas innovation sector faces shared public sector challenges in unlocking this value for businesses, triggering region-wide brain drain.
The market failure is mainly within 2Seas cities in opening up datasets and using innovative procurement. SCIFI partners (4 cities, 2 international open data experts, and 2 business networks) identify the need for transnational framework conditions that 1) create a cross-border market that gathers the fragmented resources of cities and smart innovation potential of businesses and 2) increase the capacity of cities to activate the dormant demand for smart public services.
Overall objective
Main outputs
Cross border approach
Main Achievements
The first cycle of the accelerator (SO3) started in 2018. Challenges were defined and in 2019 the companies for the pilots were selected. It started in January with one of the most difficult steps: signing a contract that fits the ambition for replicable, cross-border documents and tools (SO1). There was a strong support of Agoria (PP5) in this and with the good coöperation, the project gave further body to the guidance on public-private collaboration (SO1). At the OASC Conference (17/01/2019), the pilot development on 7 cases was officially launched.
The following 6 months, prototypes were developed while the challenges for the second cycle were in preparation. The pilot development was extensively discussed during telco's and meetings, resulting in the cocreation of the open data guidance (Output 2 ), and an update of the accelerator bylaws for cycle 2. In the summer of 2019 most pilots were finalised and presented at local support groups and events. (SO3).
Learnings were:
- The contracts and procurement was a difficult milestone. The contract template needed modification for each seperate case and an extra study performed by Corvers offered more guidance.
- Regarding citizen/stakeholder involvement it was noted that answers in surveys and behaviour are not necessarily consequent
- A cost-effective implmenetation needs a more developed IoT structure of the cities, allowing integrations between datasets from different applications
- The Hopu case consistently shows problems with sensors and their connectivity. (private network, power supply, sim-cards...), indicating infrastructure as an extra key element in interoperability
The learning on stakeholder engagement led to a big focus on users involvement in the new case of Bruges (gamification); and to the city of Mechelen not choosing to sign a contract as the proposed solutions for commuting were not at all supported by the companies who should be using them.
Saint-Quentin prepares the procurement with attention for interoperability. The city of Delft is implementing the prototype of the Mechelen Bruges case from Allride. This is the first implementation of a prototype developed in project.
The network of the accelerator (SO2) was enlarged by different activities:
- a redesign of the website to attract more interested parties
- more social media (mainly Twitter and Linkedin)
- hiring the Unknown Group for extra active scouting on companies for the challenges in cycle 2.