Innovating and developing good practice cases for cities are some of the main objectives.
The Smart Cities Portugal Cluster is finally created. Finally, because its constitution was a real challenge, a test of effort so that, at the end, its fulfillment is a symbol of how perseverance, cooperation and dialogue are able to jump over obstacles and move mountains.
This is undoubtedly a strategic Cluster for the country, a solid platform to “raise innovation and foster internationalization” of the national companies that, directly or indirectly, are dealing with the Smart Cities.
According with the Press Release, the Cluster official signature took place on January 16, bringing together 50 public and private entities from “the most diverse areas of business, academic and associative.”“The cluster intends to leverage the development and experimentation of innovative solutions, with the possibility of replicating concepts and models, as well as fostering the creation and competitiveness of companies connected to the smart cities world in Portugal.”
CEiiA, Brisa Innovation and Technology, COMPTA, Siemens and Universidade do Minho compose the direction of the cluster. University of Évora and Instituto Politécnico de Bragança respectively assume the presidency of the Congregation and Fiscal Council. Indra, ESRI, Ubiwhere, DNA Cascais, NEC, ZTE, Follow Inspiration, APVE, Oracle, Soltraáfego, Alcatel-Lucent, Digital Port, Focus-bc, Inocrowd, Kaizen Institute, Wattguard, WiseSOMA, Medidata, VPS, Microprocessor, Conteudo Chave, Buzzstreet, Endesa, Water’s de Gaia, Gfi, Philips Startup Lisboa and Portuguese Network of Intelligent Cities are just some of the entities that make up the Smart Cities Portugal Cluster.
According to the promoters of the cluster, in addition to the generic objectives, there is also a desire to encourage urban entrepreneurship “creating a promising environment” for the development of systems, products or solutions that add value not only to national cities, but which can be replicated anywhere in the world.
With the completion of a process initiated in 2014, the way is open for “specific financing under Portugal 2020 for the development of activities of a collective nature”, said Catarina Selada, from Ceiia.
Conteudo Chave, as Communication, Strategy and Creativity Agency, assumes -as a founding member- all efforts to carry out projects that enhance the image of Portugal in the international environment, as well as placing emphasis on sustainable proposals that optimize resources for solutions that effectively improve the quality of life of the citizens of our cities. This is an enormous step towards progress and cooperation between entities that are committed to making this a design for all and for all.
Vitor Pereira, Conteudo Chave
