On 17 September, Riga will host the Smart Cities Conference for the fifth year, bringing together Baltic and Nordic experts
On 17 September 2026, Riga will host the Smart Cities Conference 2026, bringing together municipalities, public authorities, businesses, universities, startups and innovation ecosystem representatives for the fifth year to discuss practical approaches towards smarter, more resilient and sustainable urban development.
This year, the conference is organized on a Baltic–Nordic scale, bringing together participants from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland and other European countries. The conference will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange and building collaboration between cities, the public sector, academia and industry.
The central question of this year’s conference is:
“What does it take to make urban innovation truly work?”
The conference will focus on the key conditions needed for the successful implementation of innovation in cities – how to strengthen municipalities’ capacity to drive change, develop effective governance and collaboration models, make better use of data and emerging technologies, and ensure that promising ideas and pilot projects become practical and sustainable solutions that create value for residents.
The conference program will include several thematic blocks and discussions:
Innovation Governance and Public Sector Transformation
How cities can move from innovation strategies and pilot projects towards real implementation – by developing effective governance models, strengthening organizational capacity and improving collaboration across sectors and institutions.
Innovation Ecosystems and Collaboration Models
How municipalities, companies, startups, investors and academia can successfully collaborate – from identifying real urban challenges to implementing pilot projects and scaling solutions.
Data and Digital Transformation in City Management
How data, digital twins and interoperable digital solutions can help cities make data-driven decisions, manage urban processes more efficiently and develop better services.
Future Mobility and Emerging Technologies
Autonomous solutions, drone technologies, Urban Air Mobility and other emerging technologies that can help address urban development challenges.
The conference will also feature an Expo Area, where participants will have the opportunity to explore innovative urban solutions and technologies from Latvia and other European countries, including companies from the EIT Urban Mobility innovation ecosystem, meet solution providers and discuss opportunities for testing and implementing these solutions in municipalities.
The conference will be held in English, with the possibility to use the Tilde translation solution on mobile devices.
Venue:
Riga Technical University, Domus Auditorialis, 8 Zunda Embankment, Riga
Participation in the conference is free of charge, but prior registration is required.
Conference registration:
Register for Smart Cities Conference 2026
Conference program:
Download the preliminary program
The program will be updated with confirmed speakers and additional details.
The conference is organized by the City of Riga in cooperation with Riga Technical University, the University of Latvia and the innovation movement VEFRESH.