Annual “Climathon” Hackathon to Tackle Circular Economy and Green Mobility Challenges

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The Riga Technical University (RTU) Science and Innovation Center and the open innovation movement VEFRESH invite participants to join Climathon ’24: Circular Economy and Green Mobility Solutions for Sustainable Urban Environments, a hackathon running from November 1 to 3. The hackathon aims to promote and support the development of sustainable and climate-friendly solutions for urban areas.  

Everyone interested in environmental protection, achieving climate goals, and implementing sustainable, innovative solutions in cities is encouraged to participate, bringing diverse skills and expertise from across Latvia. Registration is open for both teams and individual idea generators until October 27.  

To foster creative and comprehensive solutions for sustainable urban development and address climate change challenges, this year’s Climathon, an annual initiative by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) Climate Knowledge and Innovation Community (EIT Climate-KIC), has been combined with the Urban Mobility Hackathon, supported by the EIT Urban Mobility knowledge community. As a result, this year’s hackathon will focus on two key challenge areas: circular economy and green mobility. 

To contribute positively to the transition toward sustainable mobility, the Rīga City Council will encourage participants to address urban mobility challenges, focusing on improving traffic flow and public transportation efficiency, sustainable use of natural resources, and engaging citizens in shifting habits toward sustainable urban mobility. 

Solutions developed at the hackathon will be presented to a panel of judges, with teams competing for valuable prizes to support the further development of their ideas. The total prize fund is €10,000. 

Climathon will take place at the RTU Science and Innovation Center  with remote participation options available. For more information, visit this website.  

The hackathon is organized by the RTU Science and Innovation Center and the open innovation movement VEFRESH in partnership with the Bank of Latvia, the Riga City Council, the Riga Energy Agency, Swedbank, and Riga Forests. The event is co-funded by the EIT Urban Mobility.  

Take part in the hackathon “The Big Four: from room to patient”

On 25 October, Riga 1st Hospital and Riga Stradins University (RSU) Innovation Centre will host a hackathon “The Big Four: from room to patient”. During the hackathon, participants will be invited to come up with practical and creative ideas for the use of four buildings on the territory of Riga 1st Hospital to promote the creation and development of new innovation-based services, using existing infrastructure and offering even more healthcare options to hospital visitors. All ideas generated during the event will also compete for valuable prizes from a total prize fund of more than EUR 600.

The challenge of the hackathon is to find a use for the four wings of Riga 1st Hospital, developing the range of hospital services and the patient experience. The different sizes, layouts and locations of the buildings on the hospital site offer a wide range of possibilities, so teams will be invited to develop ideas for one or more of the buildings, creating solutions for each building individually or as a whole. During the event, the hospital will provide detailed information about each site, the opportunity to see them, and a working environment to develop and present their solutions.

Students, innovators, healthcare professionals and other interested parties are invited to participate in the hackathon, regardless of their field of activity, field of study or previous experience. Each participant will be given the opportunity to join a team and receive support during the ideation process from mentors from different disciplines who will provide advice on healthcare, patient experience, digital technologies, service design and other related areas. During the hackathon, ideas will be developed in their early stages and judged on their innovation, effectiveness and impact, with a total prize fund of more than EUR 600 shared between the top teams. The ideas will be judged by a specially selected jury, including Riga 1st Hospital, Riga Stradiņš University, the Ministry of Health, Riga City Council and the Latvian Network of Patients’ Organisations. 

The “Big 4: From Room to Patient” hackathon will take place on 25 October from 8:00 to 18:00 at Riga 1st Hospital. Anyone interested is invited to register by 23 October HERE 

 

Rīga to Showcase Smart City Innovations at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2024 in Barcelona

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Rīga will participate in one of the largest international events in the field of smart cities—Smart City Expo World Congress 2024, taking place from November 5 to 7 in Barcelona. This prestigious event attracts city representatives, industry leaders, researchers, and innovators from around the globe.

This year Rīga will once again be part of the Nordics & the Baltics pavilion with a dedicated exhibition stand, highlighting the city’s ongoing smart city projects, initiatives, and opportunities for future collaboration. At the pavilion, cities and companies of the region will showcase how they are leveraging digital innovation to build sustainable and resilient urban environments. More information can be found here. 

In addition to the exhibition, Rīga will also be part of Tomorrow Mobility Congress, hosting a panel discussion “Urban Air Mobility by 5G Solutions: Accelerating Drone Services”. The discussion will take place on November 5 from 15.45 until 16.30 at Hall2, Tomorrow.Mobility Agora.

The panel will bring together international experts to share knowledge, use cases and best practices to accelerate drone services and urban air mobility using 5G solutions. Discussion will focus on enhancing 5G connectivity in urban spaces and highlight the importance of city roles and cross-border collaboration. The session aims to foster EU-wide innovation and regulatory harmonization, driving advancements in smart city technologies and sustainable urban development. 

The panel will be moderated by:

  • Viesturs Celminņš, Innovation Movement VEFRESH, Managing Director

Speakers of the panel:

  • Renske Martijnse-Hartikka, Forum Virium Helsinki, Senior Project Manager Smart Mobility
  • Arnis Gulbis, Riga Digital Agency, Director
  • Lorenzo Pessotto, City of Torino European Projects Unit, Project Manager
  • Guido Acchioni, European Commission, DG CONNECT, B5 Unit: Investment in High Capacity Networks, Policy Officer
  • Staņislavs Šeiko, Riga Municipal Police, Head of Strategic Planning

This panel will explore the future of urban air mobility and the integration of 5G technologies, demonstrating how cities can play a pivotal role in the development of innovative, smart transportation systems.

Attendees are encouraged to visit the Smart Rīga stand in the exhibition hall to learn more about the city’s initiatives. For those interested in a more in-depth discussion, meetings can be arranged in advance via our webiste.

For additional information about the Smart City Expo World Congress, visit the official event page here.

Rīga Takes Center Stage at the 7th Annual 5G Techritory Forum

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5G Techritory, the annual 5G forum for industry participants, decision-makers, and executives, will be held for the 7th time on October 30-31, 2024, in person and online. The 5G Techritory platform is an initiative to bring together the key players in 5G development with the goal of developing a robust and aligned 5G Ecosystem in Europe and beyond.

The 5G Techritory platform has established itself as an essential hub for collaboration, bringing together over 600 speakers and streamed to more than 2,000 registered participants worldwide. Industry leaders, including experts from telecoms, government, policymaking, and technology, will converge in Rīga to share insights and contribute to a series of co-creation events.

This year’s theme, “Technology Shaping Tomorrow’s Territory,” will feature discussions on the future of 5G technologies and their impact on society. Among the highlights is a special panel discussion on Urban Air Mobility and 5G Technology Enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drone Flights, to be held on October 31 from 14:30 – 15:30 on the Policy and Strategy Stage.

5G Systems and BVLOS Monitoring to Protect Lives and Public Health – 5G4LIVES

  • Introduction to the 5G4LIVES Project: An exploration of how 5G connectivity is being combined with cutting-edge technologies such as drone (UAV) monitoring and alternative hydrogen charging solutions.
  • Revolutionizing Emergency Response: How 5G-enabled real-time monitoring can transform emergency healthcare, providing faster, more accurate interventions to save lives.
  • Urban Air Mobility Legislation: The critical need for comprehensive legislative planning to safely integrate drones and air ambulances into city infrastructures.
  • Innovation Procurement: The role of innovation procurement in adopting 5G technologies that ensure public health and safety services are equipped with the best tools.

This session will highlight the importance of 5G in enhancing urban air mobility and emergency response systems, and its potential to bring new services to citizens in Rīga.

The session will be streamed live at live.5gtechritory.com. For more information about the event and to register, please visit 5gtechritory.com.

Smart Rīga Joins the Latvian Delegation to Berlin for the Smart Country Convention

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The Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) is organizing a high-level working visit of the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, to Berlin from October 14 to 15, 2024. The visit will coincide with Latvia’s participation as the partner country in the prestigious “Smart Country Convention” (SCC), Germany’s leading event focused on public digitalization and smart city solutions, taking place from October 15 to 17, 2024.  

The main purpose of the visit is to promote economic cooperation in the ICT sector and establish contacts with representatives of German municipalities, cities, regions and federal government public administration institutions and public service providers, as well as companies in the sector. 

This year, Latvia is a partner country of the Smart Country Convention, which provides a unique opportunity for Latvian representatives to present themselves and their offer to a wide industry audience. 

The President of Latvia will open the exhibition with a keynote on October 15, and on October 16 the Rīga Vice Mayor Linda Ozola will give a keynote on smart city development in Rīga. 

On October 16, the city of Rīga will host 2 hour seminar  “Investing in Smart Riga: Unlocking Opportunities for a Digital and Sustainable Urban Future” in the networking area of  the main forum hall, named “Latvia Digital Lounge”. The discussion forum will focus on Rīga’s transformation into a leading regional smart city and how investors and innovators can play a pivotal role in shaping its future. 

Key topics to be covered:

  • digital infrastructure; 
  • testbed with dedicated pilot territories; 
  • successful smart city pilot projects; 
  • upcoming initiatives in sectors like mobility, energy efficiency and public safety; 
  • start-up ecosystem and support mechanisms for innovations and innovators. 

Panelists and audience will be encouraged to deep dive in novelties of Rīga`s smart solutions (e.g., centralised publishing platform of geospatial data GEO RĪGA), game – changing AI projects, 5G innovations and consider potential partnerships with the municipality and businesses.

Selling points include Riga’s strategic vision of data-driven urban development, EU-backed projects and a strong commitment to sustainability, innovation, and cybersecurity, making it a prime investment destination in Baltics. 

For more information, visit: https://www.smartcountry.berlin/en/concept/ 

Riga Rises 24 Places in the International Smart City Index

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Riga has made a significant leap in the International Smart City Index, rising 24 places to secure the 59th position out of 142 cities. The Smart City Index, developed by the World Competitiveness Centre, evaluates cities based on both economic and technological advancements and the “humane dimensions” of smart cities, such as quality of life, environmental factors, and inclusiveness. For the last two years, the ranking has been produced in collaboration with the World Smart Sustainable Cities Organization (WeGO). 

The index is based on data and the views of 120 citizens from each of the 142 cities surveyed worldwide. It assesses how residents perceive the availability of infrastructure and technology in their cities, categorized into two pillars: structures, which focuses on the existing infrastructure, and technology, which evaluates technological services and provisions. These pillars are further analyzed across five key areas: health and safety, mobility, activities, opportunities, and governance. The cities are grouped according to their Human Development Index (HDI) score, provided by the Global Data Lab. 

In response to Riga’s improved ranking, Inese Andersone, Chair of the City Development Committee of Riga City Council, commented: “Our work on smart cities is bearing fruit, and we are making significant progress in integrating innovative technologies into local governance. This success is rooted in smart municipal management, and with an increasing number of knowledgeable, experienced, and talented individuals joining our team, Riga’s development will only continue to accelerate.” 

The top three cities in the 2024 IMD Smart City Index are Zurich, Oslo, and Canberra. 

See Rīga’s profile in more detail here.

Coding the Curbs: Transforming Urban Space Management with Smart Parking Zones

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On September 19, during the Smart City Conference 2024, Coding the Curbs launched their parking pilot program – smart zones for visitors. In partnership with Riga Technical University (RTU) and Rīga City Council, the company has introduced five Smart Zones for visitor parking on the RTU campus, aiming to create a more efficient, adaptable, and organized parking system. The pilot program will run until the end of December and will be evaluated at that time to determine its effectiveness and potential for future continuation. 

The primary  goal of this pilot is to make visitor parking more efficient and well-managed with the innovative Smart Zones—digitally-enabled, bookable parking spaces that respond to the dynamic needs of city environments. Visitors can reserve these spots in advance via a seamless digital platform, which simplifies the parking process and ensures that spaces are utilized optimally. Each zone is clearly marked with dedicated signs and street markings, offering a smooth and straightforward experience for users. 

For now, the option to make Smart Zone bookings for visitors is limited to a selected group of RTU staff during the pilot phase. This phased approach allows the project team to gather important data on the system’s functionality and impact, ensuring a thoughtful and evidence-based evaluation before considering a wider rollout to the general public. 

This project is supported by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. EIT Urban Mobility acts to accelerate positive change on mobility to make urban spaces more liveable. Learn more: eiturbanmobility.eu

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Third Annual Smart Cities Conference 2024 Wraps Up with Success

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On September 19, the third annual Smart Cities Conference 2024 brought together leading innovators, industry experts, and policymakers both in-person and virtually. Held at the Riga Technical University’s (RTU) Science and Innovation Center, the third annual conference focused on advancing mobility technologies and the future of urban mobility. Attendees explored cutting-edge innovations in drone traffic and autonomous transport.  

The day began with an opening session featuring remarks from conference partners – Viesturs Celmiņš, Managing Director at Open Innovation Movement “VEFRESH,” Līga Gaile, Dean of the RTU Faculty of Construction and Mechanical Sciences, and Inese Andersone, Chair of the City Development Committee of Riga City Council. This was followed by a keynote speech from Kaspars Briškens, the Minister of Transport, who outlined the mobility sector development in Latvia. 

A global perspective was brought to the forefront with presentations from Anders Bengtsson, Head of the EIT Urban Mobility Innovation Hub North, and Assaf Oren, Head of EcoMotion Partnerships. Bengtsson shared a vision for the future of mobility, while Oren discussed the creation of sustainable mobility ecosystems, offering insights from the EcoMotion Community. The morning continued with a presentation on the “Scale of Mobility Planning in the Riga Metropolitan Area,” led by Rūdolfs Cimdiņš, Head of the Spatial Planning Division of the Riga Planning Region. 

After the presentations, the conference delved into the rising potential of urban air traffic, focusing on drone technology. Staņislavs Šeiko, Strategic Planning Specialist for Rīga City Council introduced the topic with a presentation on “Automated BGK Flights for the Safety of Citizens.” This set the stage for an engaging panel discussion on the development and challenges of drone traffic, moderated by Viesturs Celmiņš. 

Panelists included: 

  • Staņislavs Šeiko (Rīga Municipal Police) 
  • Kristaps Niedols (Rīga City Development Department) 
  • Ilmārs Ozols (Civil Aviation Agency) 
  • Artūrs Kokars (Ministry of Transport) 

The panel explored the practical applications and regulatory challenges of integrating drones into urban transport systems. 

After a coffee break, the focus shifted to autonomous mobility, beginning with the presentation from Kai Kristoffersen, Autonomous Vehicle Project Manager at Vy Group, sharing how autonomous buses can make mobility smarter, offering a glimpse into how autonomous buses are transforming public transportation in Norway. 

A second panel discussion moderated by Kristaps Kučers (RTU Science and Innovation Center), focused on the development, potential, and performance of autonomous transport. Panelists included: 

  • Kristaps Elvis Volks (LMT) 
  • Jānis Kalniņš (Ministry of Transport) 
  • Džineta Innusa (Rīgas Satiksme) 
  • Uldis Lībietis (Tet). 

The panel highlighted the innovations shaping the future of urban transport and logistics, including the legal and infrastructural hurdles that need to be overcome. 

The conference also provided attendees with valuable insights into funding opportunities. Anders Bengtsson presented the EIT Urban Mobility Innovation Calls,  detailing European-level funding opportunities for mobility-related projects. This was followed by Egita Aizsilniece-Ibema, Head of Latvia’s Innovation and Technology Representation in Brussels, who outlined the Cascade Grant Tenders for Technology Developers.  

The event concluded with technology demonstrations, allowing attendees to see Bruntor cargo scooter, Coding the Curbs smart parking system, DELIVERS.AI autonomous delivery robot, and SUBmerge Baltic autonomous underwater drone. Attendees were also invited behind the scenes for a guided tour of RTU’s laboratories.  

The event was organized by Riga Technical university in cooperation with the Rīga City Council and innovation movement Vefresh. The conference was supported by the EIT Urban Mobility, the technology company “Tet” and the mobile technology company “Latvijas Mobilais Telefons” (LMT). 

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Rīga Facilitates Sustainable Mobility Solutions with GreenDash Project: Electric Cargo Scooters Tested for Communal Services

The EIT Urban Mobility project “GreenDash” has officially kicked off in Rīga, aiming to introduce eco-friendly solutions for city services. Municipal company Rīgas Meži (Rīga Forests) and Spatial Planning and Mobility Department’s Maintenance Board in cooperation with the City Development department have begun testing a custom-designed Bruntor electric scooters specifically intended to support communal services across the city.

The GreenDash project is focused on enhancing the efficiency of communal services, while reducing the environmental impact of city operations. A key component of this project includes testing the scooters’ efficiency and adaptability in various terrains common to Rīga’s landscape, including city streets, cobblestone paths, and grassy areas within parks and green spaces.

Before receiving the electric scooters for testing, the workers who will use them in their daily operations participated in a training session. This session was designed to familiarize employees with the features of the scooters, including safety measures and how to maximize their performance in different conditions.

The project represents a step toward greener, more efficient urban management in Rīga, as electric scooters provide a flexible and sustainable transportation option for communal tasks such as park maintenance, landscaping, and other territorial improvement activities.GreenDash is a project funded by EIT Urban Mobility.

Project partners are innovation movement VEFRESH (lead partner), Rhino R (Bruntor EV cargo scooter developer) and three demonstration partners: Rīga City Council, Latvian Post and PostNord (Denmark).

GEO RĪGA: Explore Rīga in a Different Way

As part of the Digital week 2024 organized by Latvian Information and Communication Technology Association (LIKTA), the GEO RĪGA team announces a series of engaging events aimed at showcasing the potential of geographic information systems (GIS) and unveiling the functionalities of the GEO RĪGA portal.

During the Digital Week 2024, running from May 14 to May 16, the GEO RĪGA team will host two webinars:

  • May 14, 14.00 EET – Introduction to GEO RĪGA portal. Join the webinar to delve into the basics of the GEO RĪGA portal, exploring publicly available data and resources. Join the webinar here.
  • May 15, 10.00 EET – Geographic Information Systems as a Tool for Process Management and Data-Driven Decision Making. Join this session to explore the potential of GIS as a facilitator for efficient process management and informed decision making. Join the webinar here.

In addition to these webinars, the GEO RĪGA team will host seven face-to face workshops in Rīga, providing attendees with hands-on experience and practical guidance on using the portal’s tools for each individual needs. More information is available here.