City Deal ‘A Smart City, That’s How You Do It’ Extended and Continued

The Netherlands faces major challenges to keep out cities, villages, and regions livable and sustainable. We can only solve those challenges in a democratic manner if we use the opportunities that digitisation and technology offer us. That Is why 59 partners joined the next step of the City Deal ‘A Smart City, That’s How You Do It’ in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on 19 January 2023. 

For the past two years, 63 partners have been working on the City Deal ‘A Smart City, That’s How You Do It’. Together, they want to exploit the opportunities of digitisation and technology to keep regions, cities, and villages livable and social, and strengthen democracy.  

A large smart city network looking to make strides

With great success, as 16 new tools have been developed to facilitate the application of smart city solutions, a toolbox has been created that gathers more than 250 tools and more than one and a half million euros in (European) grants have been obtained. But above all, in recent years the partners have discovered that they can rely on reach other’s expertise, creating more swiftness in innovation. A large and robust smart city network has emerged that aims to make great strides in the coming years. 

Project leader Jan-Willem Wesselink is pleased with the next step. ‘We have laid a good foundation to exploit the opportunities that digitalisation and technology can offer cities, villages, and regions. We now have to convert those opportunities into value. It’s great to see that the partners want to continue with this’. 

Partners City Deal ‘A Smart City, That’s How You Do It’

The following governments, businesses and civil society organisations signed the next step of the City Deal in 's-Hertogenbosch on 19 January: Municipality of Alkmaar, Municipality of Amersfoort, Amsterdam Smart City, Municipality of Apeldoorn, Arcadis, Argaleo, Avans University of Applied Sciences, Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations, BNSP, BPD, BTG, Municipality of Breda, Brightlands Smart Services Campus, Municipality of Capelle aan den IJssel, Capgemini, Centre for Safety and Digitalisation, Civity, Data and Knowledge Hub Healthy Urban Living, Municipality of The Hague, Municipality of Deventer, DHM, Municipality of Dordrecht, ELBA\REC, Municipality of Enschede, Facilicom Solutions, Fiware, FME, Fontys Hogeschool, Future City Foundation, Goudappel, Municipality of Heerlen, Heijmans, Municipality of Helmond, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Kadaster, KPN, NHL Stenden, North Brabant province, North Holland province, Overijssel province, Platform31, Police, Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, Roermond Municipality, Roeselare city, Rotterdam Municipality, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, 's-Hertogenbosch Municipality, Sittard-Geleen Municipality, Six advocaten, TNO, TU Delft, VodafoneZiggo, WeCity, WeLabs, South Holland province, Zwolle Municipality.

At the same time, the intention was signed with DigiGo, the Impact Coalition Safety & Security, the Retail Agenda, the U-tech Community and Urban Innovation Development network (i.0.) to explore how we can work better together. Wesselink: ‘We as the Netherlands face huge challenges. We have a large housing demand and at the same time a solid sustainability challenge.’ 

City Deals 

The City Deal are part of Agenda City, the inter-governmental programme in which cities, social partners and central governments work together to strengthen the innovation of Dutch cities. City Deals aims to drive innovation. In City Deals, the parties involved lay down concrete agreements with each other. In this approach, content is central, and the various parties work together on the basis of equality. For more information, please visit www.agendastad.nl