The Department for International Trade will collaborate with Smart Cities Vlaanderen and organise the Future Cities: Smart Mobility and Urban Environment conference in Brussels on 12 February 2020. A networking event where UK and Belgian companies will get the opportunity to meet business executives, city representatives and academics to explore a better future for our cities.
Smart cities provide an opportunity for companies who can harness technology and new business models to address the challenges of urbanisation. Whereas the last decade was characterised by pilot projects and a select group of innovator cities, the coming decade will see widespread uptake of smart city solutions, especially in midsize cities. This presents significant opportunities for solution providers operating within the smart city space.
This is a growing market in the UK and in Belgium, where smart cities continue to expand in both number and level of sophistication.
Smart mobility is about environmentally friendly, integrated, automated and personalised travel on-demand. It is bringing together the automotive industry with technology and engineering firms.
Programme:
9.00 Registration and Welcome Coffee
9.30 Welcome Note: Martin Shearman, British Ambassador to Belgium
9.40 Welcome Note: Peter Vandeurzen, Cluster Manager Smart Cities Vlaanderen
9.45 Keynote Erin Walsh, Director of Market Intelligence, Connected Places Catapult
10.10 Keynote Nils Walravens, Senior Researcher and Coordinator Smart Flanders Imec-SMIT-VUB
10.30 Coffee Break
10.45 Expert Panel Discussion – Urban Environment and Future Cities
- Trevor Gibson, Smart City Leadership Manager, Future Peterborough
- Joachim De Vos, President of the Steering Committee Smart Cities Vlaanderen
- Chris Lane, Head of Transport Innovation, Transport for West Midlands
12.00 Pitching UK companies
12.45 Networking Lunch with UK companies
Afternoon session (only for Belgian companies):
- Hannah Williams, Head of Investment DIT
Support Belgian companies that would like to expand to the UK - Trevor Gibson
Discuss opportunities in Peterborough for Belgian companies - Nigel Jones,
Tech Export (inward investment)
Discuss opportunities in Northern England (Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool) – Northern Powerhouse Investment Hub