CommuniCity prepares and executes one hundred innovation pilots by leveraging AI and other emerging technologies. The idea is to engage hard-to-reach, marginalized communities in dialogue with city officials and solution providers. The needs that are identified during this process will be used as a starting point for co-creating and piloting inclusive solutions for these communities. Twenty of these solutions will be piloted during the years 2023–25 in Helsinki.
CommuniCity project launches three rounds of Open Calls that leverage AI and other emerging technologies in addressing the needs of cities and communities. The Open Calls invite companies and associations to participate in a process of co-creation, where citizens, associations, city officials, and policy makers come together to improve the quality of life for citizens.
Objective
The overall objective of the project is to enhance social justice, sustainability and inclusion through innovative technology and knowledge-based solutions.
CommuniCity organizes and facilitates 100 pilots in cities throughout Europe. The lessons learned from this experience (on social, institutional, technological and environmental dimensions) will lay the foundations for a more general framework of concepts, practices, and solutions reusable by various stakeholders for more clean, inclusive and sustainable societies.
The cities of Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Porto are taking the leading role in organizing these smart city pilots. These pilots introduce new solutions both to these cities and to be used around the world. The cities and countries will also get ideas on how to collaborate and share pilots.
Duration, partners, funding and total budget
Duration: 1.9.2022–31.8.2025
Funding: Horizon 2020 Europe
Budget: 4,999,012.50 euroa (Forum Virium Helsinki: 1 306 250 €)
Partners: University of Amsterdam (coordinator), OASC – Open & Agile Smart Cities (manager), ENoLL – European Network of Living Labs, Centre de Visio per Computador, Sociedade Portugesa ee Inovacao, Porto Digital, City of Amsterdam, Forum Virium Helsinki, Demos Helsinki, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Engineering, Domus Social
Our role
The role of Forum Virium Helsinki in the CommuniCity project is to organize Open Calls and to facilitate the piloting process. Forum Virium Helsinki is responsible for the Helsinki local needs assessment, local engagement with solutions providers (applying to the open calls) and for piloting of up to 20 solutions (Agile pilots) in Helsinki.
Forum Virium Helsinki brings forward its extensive methodology for ‘Agile pilots’ experimentation to lead the Piloting and Open Call Work Packages in the project. Forum Virium Helsinki has a vast experience in implementing agile pilots and open calls in urban environments at national as well as international level.
Benefits for Helsinki
CommuniCity actively engages with citizen groups and communities that are not getting sufficient attention from the society. The project seeks to identify and understand needs that are characteristic to hard-to-reach, marginalized communities.
CommuniCity’s engagement with hard-to-reach communities within the city, is expected to produce sustainable solutions that improve the quality of living for the members of the group. The project shares its results with the city stakeholders. City officials and policy-makers can utilize the insights of the project to make changes to city practices and policies when needed.
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Photo: Helsinki Partners / Hayley