Latest news with #2025SmartCityIndex
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The 10 cities best prepared for a ‘smart city future'
This story was originally published on Smart Cities Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Smart Cities Dive newsletter. Atlanta beat out coastal tech havens like San Jose, California, and Boston to rank as the top U.S. city for a 'smart city future' in ProptechOS' 2025 Smart City Index. The annual ranking is based on metrics related to each city's tech infrastructure and connectivity, sustainability and tech job market. 'Some of the benefits of scoring highly on these metrics for local citizens are that they can enjoy better public services, transport, security, economic opportunities and less air pollution,' according to ProptechOS, a software company based in Stockholm. Atlanta climbed from 10th place in last year's index, where Seattle took the top spot. This embedded content is not available in your region. In the latest ranking, Atlanta scored 88 out of 100 for tech infrastructure and 82 for its tech job market, with 643 tech jobs advertised per 10,000 people, according to the study. 'Atlanta has the fourth-highest internet download and upload speeds of any major U.S. city,' ProptechOS stated. 'Relative to its population size, Atlanta also boasts the third-highest number of companies dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT) and the fifth-highest number of artificial intelligence companies.' Atlanta has long been on a path toward strengthening its smart city status, joining the White House's Smart Cities Initiative in 2015 and partnering with the Georgia Institute of Technology on smart city initiatives to ease traffic congestion, promote public safety and improve the city's environmental sustainability. The city's North Avenue Smart Corridor Project was recognized by the International Smart City Expo as a 'living lab for active, multi-modal traffic management through technology deployment and data analytics.' Atlanta also met its Better Buildings Challenge goal two years ahead of schedule, reducing the city's energy consumption by 20% in 2019 and saving 1.3 billion gallons of water. In May 2024 the city began enhancing its customer-facing digital products, including station screens and the mobile app for its Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, a project expected to wrap up this June. While Atlanta dominated overall in the 2025 Smart City Index, San Francisco topped the list of cities with the best environmental metrics, in part due to its number and density of EV charging stations and LEED-certified green buildings. Oakland, California, scored highest on the index (98 out of 100) for its number of tech jobs, with 889 tech jobs per 10,000 people — enough tech jobs for approximately 10% of the city's population, according to the study. The index also ranked European smart cities in 2025, awarding Paris top billing, followed by Stockholm; Amsterdam; Munich; and Lisbon, Portugal. Ryan Kushner is an editor of American City & County, which is also under Smart Cities Dive's parent company, Informa TechTarget. Recommended Reading 6 smart cities trends to watch in 2025
Zawya
07-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Muscat rises to 87th in IMD Smart City Index
Muscat – Muscat has improved its standing in the global IMD Smart City Index, rising to 87th place out of 142 cities ranked worldwide in the 2025 edition. Muscat was ranked 88th in 2024 and 96th in 2023. The index, developed by World Competitiveness Center (WCC) of IMD Business School, assesses cities on how they balance economic and technological development with quality of life indicators such as housing, healthcare, mobility, governance and inclusiveness. Muscat's overall performance earned it a 'B' grade, with strong scores in areas such as access to green spaces, public safety, online access to services and healthcare provision. However, the survey highlighted housing affordability as the leading concern among residents. More than 60% of respondents in Muscat identified affordable housing and unemployment as the top priorities for the city's future development, reflecting a global trend where housing emerged as the dominant issue in 110 out of 146 cities surveyed. The survey noted that access to affordable housing has become a global challenge, driven by rising prices and supply shortages, a situation impacting cities as diverse as Dublin, Vancouver and Dubai. Commenting on the broader findings, Arturo Bris, Director of WCC, said, 'Access to housing is a global issue, driven by three major factors – population moves and immigration reducing the supply of affordable housing, overall price increases, and increasing prices of certain commodities.' Muscat also scored positively in public safety, basic sanitation services and air quality, with residents expressing satisfaction in these areas. The city's initiatives in digital governance – including online public services and platforms for civic engagement – were highlighted as contributors to improved trust in local authorities. Globally, Zurich topped the 2025 Smart City Index, followed by Oslo and Geneva. Within the region, Dubai (4th) and Abu Dhabi (5th) both entered the top ten for the first time, reflecting their progress in healthcare, public spaces and environmental management. Jeddah is ranked 27th, Doha 33rd, Manama 36th and Mecca 39th. Experts noted that sustaining growth requires addressing urban challenges through strategic planning. 'Smart cities succeed when they prioritise liveability, sustainability and governance, using technology as a tool to empower residents,' said Christos Cabolis, Chief Economist at WCC. The IMD survey emphasised the fact that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' formula for becoming a smart city. Instead, success depends on building strong foundations of quality basic services, leveraging technology to address local needs and ensuring inclusive growth. © Apex Press and Publishing Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Muscat Daily
06-05-2025
- Business
- Muscat Daily
Muscat rises to 87th in IMD Smart City Index
Muscat – Muscat has improved its standing in the global IMD Smart City Index, rising to 87th place out of 142 cities ranked worldwide in the 2025 edition. Muscat was ranked 88th in 2024 and 96th in 2023. The index, developed by World Competitiveness Center (WCC) of IMD Business School, assesses cities on how they balance economic and technological development with quality of life indicators such as housing, healthcare, mobility, governance and inclusiveness. Muscat's overall performance earned it a 'B' grade, with strong scores in areas such as access to green spaces, public safety, online access to services and healthcare provision. However, the survey highlighted housing affordability as the leading concern among residents. More than 60% of respondents in Muscat identified affordable housing and unemployment as the top priorities for the city's future development, reflecting a global trend where housing emerged as the dominant issue in 110 out of 146 cities surveyed. The survey noted that access to affordable housing has become a global challenge, driven by rising prices and supply shortages, a situation impacting cities as diverse as Dublin, Vancouver and Dubai. Commenting on the broader findings, Arturo Bris, Director of WCC, said, 'Access to housing is a global issue, driven by three major factors – population moves and immigration reducing the supply of affordable housing, overall price increases, and increasing prices of certain commodities.' Muscat also scored positively in public safety, basic sanitation services and air quality, with residents expressing satisfaction in these areas. The city's initiatives in digital governance – including online public services and platforms for civic engagement – were highlighted as contributors to improved trust in local authorities. Globally, Zurich topped the 2025 Smart City Index, followed by Oslo and Geneva. Within the region, Dubai (4th) and Abu Dhabi (5th) both entered the top ten for the first time, reflecting their progress in healthcare, public spaces and environmental management. Jeddah is ranked 27th, Doha 33rd, Manama 36th and Mecca 39th. Experts noted that sustaining growth requires addressing urban challenges through strategic planning. 'Smart cities succeed when they prioritise liveability, sustainability and governance, using technology as a tool to empower residents,' said Christos Cabolis, Chief Economist at WCC. The IMD survey emphasised the fact that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' formula for becoming a smart city. Instead, success depends on building strong foundations of quality basic services, leveraging technology to address local needs and ensuring inclusive growth.
African Manager
24-04-2025
- Business
- African Manager
Smart City Index 2025: Tunis plummets to 142nd place among 146 ranked cities
The International Institute for Management Development (IMD) has just released its 2025 Smart City Index, a global ranking that evaluates cities' ability to harmonize technology with quality of life. A total of 146 cities were assessed based on criteria such as urban service efficiency and residents' lived experiences. But what exactly defines a 'smart city'? According to the report, it is a city that leverages digital technologies not for superficial appeal but to tangibly address citizens' needs, including mobility, safety, healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability. The goal is to create a smoother, more sustainable, and ultimately more human-centric living environment. In North Africa, no city ranks within the top 100 of the 2025 Smart City Index. Conversely, a few cities in Southern Africa perform slightly better, though the continent as a whole remains underrepresented in the ranking. Tunis, Tunisia's capital, fell five spots from the previous edition, now ranking 142nd out of 146 cities. This marks a decline from its 137th position in the 2023 and 2024 rankings. In North Africa, Tunis outperforms Sanaa (145th), while Cairo fares better at 117th, followed by Rabat (123rd) and Algiers (128th). In the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, Dubai stands out. Thanks to massive investments in smart infrastructure, the city leads regionally and ranks 4th globally. Abu Dhabi follows closely, securing 5th place worldwide, driven by its ambitious digital transformation and sustainability strategies. Other Gulf cities also feature in the top 100: Riyadh (27th), Doha (33rd), Mecca (39th), Jeddah (47th), Al Khobar (61st), Medina (67th), and Kuwait City (90th). Globally, Switzerland reaffirms its dominance in smart city development, with Zurich topping the list. The city excels in efficient urban management, advanced digitization of public services, and a high quality of life praised by residents. The country's well-structured, digitized systems successfully blend technological innovation with collective well-being. Oslo claims second place, followed by Geneva, which climbs to third this year, closely trailed by Lausanne. Dubai and Abu Dhabi round out the global top five. The index combines objective metrics—such as air quality, mobility, infrastructure, and access to digital services—with residents' perceptions of how technology tangibly improves their daily lives.
