URBIS SMART CITY FAIR
25.-26.4. 2018

URBIS SMART CITY FAIR 2018 was the first full year of the trade fair following the pilot trade fair of smart solutions for cities and towns in 2017.

The most important exhibition grounds in Central Europe and the City of Brno teamed together as leaders of innovation to create a unique space for sharing ideas and concrete solutions to bring the Smart City concept to life and develop it in Central European cities and towns. The trade fair included a unique two-day conference that brought world-renowned experts to Brno.

The trade fair was organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the CR, the Ministry for Regional Development of the CR, the Ministry of the Interior of the CR, the Association of Regions of the CR, the Union of Towns and Municipalities, the South Moravian Region and the City of Brno. The general partners were the ČEZ ESCO and MasterCard companies, the main partners were the T-Mobile Company and the City of Brno.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT FAIR URBIS

Jaroslav Kacer, Deputy Mayor of Brno responsible for the Smart City initiative
I’m glad that the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR rose like a phoenix from the ashes. It is a momentous event that breathes new life for the Smart City initiative. Our goal is to build a European C2C (City to City) platform to pass on experience, both good and bad, from which we can learn, and to also involve the academic and entrepreneurial sector so that cities in the Czech Republic and Europe can move forward and improve urban living.

Jiří Kuliš, CEO, BVV Trade Fairs Brno
In the Central European region, the City of Brno is clearly a driving force for the Smart City initiative. It is therefore logical that we decided to work with them to embrace this vision. The first full year of the trade fair showed there is strong demand for such an event that showcases Smart City expertise at the European level. I believe that URBIS will certainly be back on the trade fair calendar of the Brno exhibition grounds.

David Bárta, conference moderator and organizer, founder of the City:One platform
There’s no comparison with last year. Today we see hundreds of visitors who have come for a diverse program of events and everyone can choose what interests them most. There are also numerous foreign visitors from countries in Central Europe. I’m glad that the trade fair is prompting public discussion of Smart Cities. We’re not trying to convince people here which product is the best, we’re trying to explain how state and local governments can work to facilitate smart cities and how to approach this.

Pierre Jean Coulon, President of the TEN section of the European Economic and Social Committee
While traveling, I saw an article in a British Midland Airlines magazine that mentioned Brno as one of the most intelligent cities in Europe along with London, Hamburg and Bristol. That led me to share a few thoughts with you at this conference about Smart Cities. If the Smart City initiative is to be viable in the future, it is already necessary to respond to certain tasks and challenges such as the question of protecting personal data or the ability of inhabitants to work with digital technologies. This is also a task for politicians, economists, and the mayors of cities and towns.

Siri Ellen Sletner, Norwegian ambassador
Back in 2016 Norwegian representatives attended seminars on intelligent cities in Brno, and last year in September a delegation of politicians and entrepreneurs from Brno attended a conference in the Norwegian city of Stavanger that became the largest Smart Cities event in Europe. I am greatly pleased by the cooperation between the academic sphere and industry. Today when I stand here and watch how together we are forging ahead with the Smart Cities initiative, I probably have the same feeling as when Kometa won the hockey league a few days ago.

Lukáš Bagín, ČEZ ESCO
The URBIS SMART CITY FAIR gave us a great chance to get inspired and share ideas with international experts about how to build a smart city. The trade fair was also an ideal opportunity for meeting up with our existing business partners and establishing new business contacts. All this occurred against the friendly backdrop of the Brno Exhibition Centre and the City of Brno, places to which we shall always be happy to return.

Daniel Štofan, Executive Director, GoodVision
We noticed the pilot edition of the trade fair last year and are participating in URBIS for the first time this year. The schedule of events is packed with very high-quality presentations and speakers, especially the conferences. With respect to the number of visitors to our stand we can’t complain. Today we’ve been busy all day and are pleased with the interest in our product, which also won the start-up prize. We have spoken with many potential clients and hope to find additional opportunities to apply and integrate our product. We’ve already heard a ton of interesting ideas.

Michael Hagler, representative of Digitale Agenda Wien
This is my first time at the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR and I must say that I am pleasantly surprised. The exhibition grounds are truly extensive, which I did not expect. I’ve had some experience with a smart city fair in Barcelona and am glad that a similar event is taking place in Central Europe. I welcome such discussions as those I have had here as a platform for sharing experience. I am pleased to have been able to present our approach to Smart Cities in Vienna. The URBIS project and its location in Brno could contribute to the expansion of smart cities further east.

Louise Vogel Kielgast, employee at the Gehl urban studio in Denmark
I am glad to be able to come to the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR. It’s my first time at this event. I usually don’t go to many trade fairs and had to get used to the packed schedule of events. I’m glad that I could take part in the event and represent the Gehl urban studio here. I appreciate the numerous debates that took place here at the smart city trade fair. The grounds are also pleasant. I like the fact that visitors can move between pavilions and everyone can find what they are interested in.

Anna Hroudová, public relations specialist, T-Mobile
We believe the general concept of the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR is beneficial and meaningful. Over two days representatives of Czech cities and towns, companies and regions can meet and share their experiences. Also inspirational are the presentations from abroad. Here, T-Mobile presented its comprehensive technology to optimize transportation in cities, its strategy to cover households and companies with optic networks, as well as specific Smart City/ Smart Home projects.

Miloš Drápala, executive, JD ROZHLASY
The URBIS SMART CITY FAIR is one of the trade fairs that we regularly attend. We‘ve been here several times this year and are pleased with our participation. The quality of services and the entire event is improving. We also noticed that attendance has increased quite a bit.

Lukáš Loun, director of the Siemens “Smart Cities” work group
Compared to last year we see significant strides in organization, as well as the concept of the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR in general. We welcome the four stages, since something different is taking place on each of them. The main benefit of the trade fair is that it is conceived as a space for erudite experts to meet. This gives them a greater chance to make contacts and share their own experiences. We are also pleased with the media coverage of the fair, because this helps promote awareness of these issues among the general public, who stand to benefit from smart city technology.

Pavel Juránek, sales representative, INTERTECH plus
At first glance any visitor to the URBIS SMART CITY FAIR can see that its focus in mainly professional. For two entire days we had the opportunity to represent our company, and now we’ll wait and see what kind of business it generates.

Lenka Uldrijanová, fundraiser and PR manager, Wheelchair League
It’s quite unusual for a non-profit organization to take part in a trade fair like URBIS. I’m pleased because it’s logical to combine the non-profit world with the business world. While they might be quite different, it is useful to remind people that in a city and world where health, success and callous attitudes are the norm, there are people who were not that fortunate and ended up on the other side of the barrier. Here we are presenting the Wheelchair League and increasing public awareness of people living with disabilities. We also noted great interest in the barrier-free caravan presented here by our partner Opus Lacrimosa.

Petr Tomášů, executive, Urbitech
The program of events for this year’s URBIS SMART CITY FAIR is even more packed than last year. The duration of the event, which was shortened from the original four days to two, is better for us. Smart cities are increasingly becoming a growing trend. That is why we are glad platforms like this trade fair exist in the Czech Republic. Exhibitors can showcase the solutions that they offer and present their products. Our company also feels it is a great advantage to work with the representatives of cities and towns that are the end users of our technologies.