Kick-off Meeting Marks the Start of EU-funded Project SMCNetZero: Achieving Net-Zero through Innovation in Small and Medium sized Cities (SMCs)

On April 12^th, 2023, the highly anticipated kick-off meeting for the EU-funded project SMCNetZero took place, marking the official start of an ambitious initiative aimed at tackling the information gap and fostering collaboration between innovation actors across Europe and small and medium-sized cities (SMCs) to reach their net-zero goals.

Led by BABLE Smart Cities, a spinoff from the Fraunhofer Institute, SMCNetZero brings together a consortium of renowned partners with strong regional networks, including ODRAZ in Croatia, Smart City Cluster in Spain, Urban DNA in the UK, the Southern Regional Assembly in Ireland, BLOXHUB, and We Build Denmark in Denmark. With their expertise and collaborative efforts, the consortium aims to open up opportunities, stimulate the dissemination of information, and increase the implementation prospects between providers of zero-emission solutions and public authorities in SMCs.

The project’s main objectives include:

• opportunities and stimulating the dissemination of information related to zero-emission solutions.
• Increasing implementation prospects by fostering collaborations between solution providers and public authorities in SMCs.
• Identifying and engaging innovation leaders from the public and private sectors to drive sustainable innovation in SMCs.
• Facilitating the understanding and implications of implementing and scaling up innovation projects in SMCs.
• Designing and deploying engagement and knowledge-building activities to ensure maximum impact.

One of the key highlights of the kick-off meeting was the introduction of the consortium’s work packages, which foster synergies between interlinked activities. These work packages will play a crucial role in achieving the project’s objectives and maximizing its impact.

During the kick-off meeting, each partner showcased their teams and responsibilities within the project, highlighting their expectations and valuable contributions. Urban DNA will spearhead activities to stimulate the market, aiming to foster engagement and interest. Smart City Cluster will conduct comprehensive market analysis and gather valuable information to support the project’s objectives. We Build Denmark will assume responsibility for disseminating knowledge and delivering capacity training programs to cities. BLOXHUB will lead the collection of best practices and facilitate ideation and innovation workshops. ODRAZ, an NGO acting as the Secretariat of the CIVINET Slovenia-Croatia-SEE Network, will actively contribute to the project as well as curate and send out newsletter to further disseminate knowledge. Finally, BABLE will leverage its digital knowledge platform and expertise to lead efforts in bridging the gap between the public and private sectors, driving progress in the project’s management and communications.

The kick-off meeting concluded with key takeaways emphasizing the importance of clear communication, coordination, and cooperation between partners. A roadmap to net zero, a SMC definition, and the use of templates for streamlined processes were highlighted as critical components of the project moving forward.

SMCNetZero has taken a proactive step towards fostering collaboration and providing ongoing updates by launching its official LinkedIn page, inviting partners and interested parties to follow for valuable insights and project news.