Track: | Infrastructure & Building |

Innovation happens when ideas, people and opportunities come together. In this opening conversation, discover the vision behind Innovation Playground and how it connects startups, investors, researchers and city leaders to accelerate urban innovation. Get an overview of the Startup Program, featuring innovators from around the world addressing key urban challenges, alongside the Demo Area, Investors Program, dedicated 1:1 matchmaking opportunities between startups and investors, and networking initiatives designed to turn connections into collaboration and impact.

Welcome to our 2026 edition – the global stage where urban innovation comes to life. This opening session sets the tone for an exciting journey ahead, with a warm welcome from Smart City Expo director Ugo Valenti and Tomorrow.Mobility president Marc Rozendal. Joining them are high-level representatives who will share how territories around the world are becoming better places to live and thrive. Get ready for three action-packed days of bold ideas and groundbreaking strategies from around the globe.

Discover the key ideas, emerging trends and standout innovations shaping Innovation Playground. Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for Day 2, this session offers a snapshot of the startups, investors, researchers and city innovators driving the program. We will revisit key takeaways, spotlight new connections and opportunities emerging across the ecosystem, and preview the sessions, activities and innovation challenges still to come, including the research-focused program on Day 3.

A relaxed moment to have a drink and mingle with other attendees at the venue’s main entrance after the World Smart City Awards gala.

The annual World Smart City Awards is a prestigious international competition that seeks to recognize pioneering projects, solutions, and city strategies that drive meaningful change for citizens and push urban transformation forward.

Discover the pioneering projects selected for the finals of this year’s edition.