The whole day of December 12, 2023 was marked by an update of our basic document, the Smart Prague 2030 concept. At the Prague Business and Innovation Centre we presented the first draft of the update of the Smart Prague 2030 Concept. This update emphasises the promotion of an urban innovation agenda across Prague, introducing innovation management and building an innovation culture to improve the quality of life of residents and the efficiency of city services.
At the beginning, Petr Suška, Vice-Chairman of the OICT Board of Directors and Director of Smart City and Innovation, summarized the main reasons for the Smart Prague Concept update: "Since 2017, the world has moved in leaps and bounds, both in terms of new technologies and the global crises associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine and, more recently, the Gaza Strip. The Framework needs to be kept as a living document, responding to new experiences of implementing pilot projects and getting feedback from our partners." Furthermore, Petr Suška, whose team is in charge of updating the concept, stressed the need for greater synergy and consistency with other agendas and the city's organisational structure, which will support the effective integration of Smart Prague initiatives into the broader framework of city governance and development.
The presentation was aimed at representatives of the Prague City Hall and municipal organizations. A key element was a joint discussion on the need for coordination between different actors of the city's innovation ecosystem and the integration of innovation into the city's regular agenda, which is essential for the implementation of complex projects and effective city governance.
The updated Smart Prague Concept emphasises a systematic approach to innovation and the need to develop an innovation culture within the city administration. The main starting points are the quality of life of residents, system efficiency, continuous improvement and building trust. The primary goal is to make life easier for Prague residents and to use innovation to perform city roles more effectively. The concept also focuses on sustainability, with the aim of fulfilling Prague's commitments as a sustainable and emission-free city. Future steps and plans in areas such as mobility, energy, environment and digital infrastructure were discussed.
Last but not least, a strong emphasis is placed on a participatory approach and the involvement of all key partners and the public in the development of the update. The document is thus based on a careful mapping of the city's needs in the field of urban innovation, with a focus on the needs and involvement of end users as one of the key approaches
