Thames Freeport and the Seoul Digital Foundation (SDF) have announced their collaboration which will address scaling smart city solutions in new markets and have invited innovators from the UK to trial their solutions in South Korea, one of these markets. Applications, which opened on the 8th August, will close on the 6th September. Successful applicants will be informed on the 13th September.
Smart city development can happen for many reasons, but often those cited include tackling congestion, pollution and improving the overall health and wellbeing of residents in urban spaces, which are expected to register the most population growth. According to figures from the United Nations (UN), 68% of the world population is projected to live in urban areas by 2050.
Ensuring sustainable population growth is a big challenge, and one that smart cities are looking to address through using technologies like mesh networks, sensing systems and cameras.
In the announcement, Thames Freeport said that smart city initiatives are able to address these problems through the utilisation of technology to create interconnected systems; one such technology being smart traffic management systems, which have been covered on IoT Insider before.
The challenge areas that innovators are being invited to participate in will look at smart and digital healthcare; improving traffic; environmental issues; accessibility for high-risk mental health groups and community-level decarbonisation solutions.
The initiative which will combine the efforts of Thames Freeport, the SDF and aforementioned UK innovators, will give the latter the chance to participate in a living lab to tackle real-world challenges in Korea; receive guidance from Korean accelerators; enjoy guided tours of Seoul districts; engage with public and private sector organisations; gain expert advice on tax, HR and legal matters and take part in Smart Life Week.
Seoul’s Smart Life Week will be running from 10-12 October at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center where the overarching theme will be “Future of city life made by cutting-edge technology”.
Other advantages of taking part in the initiative include the opportunity to network with industry leaders, benefit from market intelligence, showcase your technological solutions and be part of a wider movement making urban living smart.
“Seeing the market first hand and understanding the level of engagement required makes me believe we can make a difference in London,” said a member of the Korean Pilot Delegation. “With public trials, we can localise our solutions to fit the city, society, and people perfectly. Everyone benefits—us, the city, and most importantly, the people.”
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