The Green Cities consortium developed the blog post “Smart Cities Marketplace” under the EU-Funded Project Youth Participation for Developing Sustainable Green Cities (reference number: 2022-1-DE04-KA220-YOU-000085135). L4Y Learning for Youth GmbH is leading the project alongside partners Citizens in Power, Toplum Gönüllüleri Vakfı, Kean, Walktogether, and Kaán Károly Környezetvédelmi Egyesület.
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Introduction
EC’s Smart Cities Marketplace has been set up as an ongoing marketplace to discuss, share knowledge and network (mainly for the clusters) that was started by the European Commission. It aims to support Smart and Sustainable Cities development throughout Europe. So, this is actually as a key hub for different groups such cities ( municipal), companies, SMEs the first three chosen from transport sector, but also investors and banks.
What is the Smart Cities Marketplace?
The Smart Cities Marketplace is a working group and citizen-oriented initiative that also includes activity to assist in the uptake of smart city projects. Facilitate the implementation of innovative and sustainable solutions in cities, supporting governments and all relevant stakeholders. On three main stages, the activities of this platform are prevailing
1. Explore
Users learn about projects and initiatives from other cities that have had success in the Discover stage. The platform features a live repository of best practices and approaches. Therefore, this resource serves as a model for getting these ideas to be repeated somewhere else.
2. Shape
The Shape phase enables decision-makers to get their ideas up and running through the platform. And more than that, it promotes conversation and engages all stakeholders. The second stage is the most important in formulating tangible projects concepts.
3. Deal
In the Deal stage, project promoters and members of the funding community engage in one-on-one exchanges through transactions on the platform. The goal is to fund projects, close deals, and deploy innovative solutions.
The Smart Cities Marketplace and the European Green Deal
A Smart Cities Marketplace that fits with the European Union Cohesion Policy 2021-27 and the Green Deal. The vision is to develop more intelligent and socially inclusive cities, which in selected European cites will turn into open urban laboratory platforms for improving air quality, the environment & making marginal lives better.
Conclusion
In summary, Smart Cities Marketplace is a platform to help connect cities in Europe interested developing sustainable smart urban solutions. In conclusion, it helps in Exploring, Shaping and Dealing with an idea to make it fast-track into real-life innovative solutions that improve the quality of life within urban settings. As a result, it corresponds to the prerequisites of European Green Deal and Cohesion Policy enhances creation of smarter and sustainable Europe.
