Inside Urban Future 2025 BABLE sessions

Welcome to this in-depth recap of the sessions we led and participated in during Urban Future 2025! Dive into the innovative solutions, transformative ideas, and collaborative efforts that emerged from the conversations we had with different top actors and decision makers. Each session reflects the shared ambition to build smarter, more liveable, and climate-resilient cities across Europe. Let's dive in!

🤳 Urban Branding

Despite running parallel to the conference’s opening ceremony, the Urban Branding session drew a full room, buzzing with motivated learners, city changemakers, and urban visionaries. We explored how urban identity can shape the future of cities. The energy in the room reflected the growing urgency and momentum behind branding that’s authentic, strategic, and citizen-rooted.

Moderated by Tamlyn Shimizu , BABLE’s Global Partnerships & Communications Lead, the session opened with a “Mini Masterclass” guiding participants through five pillars of effective urban branding: purpose, narrative, culture, sustainability, and partnerships. The emphasis? Branding is not an aesthetic—it’s a strategic tool rooted in people and place.

Three leading voices shared case studies:

🎵 Linz: From Industry to Electronic Identity: Kathrin Obernhumer , who leads Community, Culture & Innovation at Tabakfabrik Linz (Austria), illustrated how Linz is reshaping its image. Her message was clear: branding begins with honesty, culture, and the stories locals are proud to tell.

📈 Tampere: Branding as Strategy: Teppo Rantanen , Executive Director of Economic Policy, Competitiveness and Innovation at the Tampereen kaupunki - City of Tampere (Finland), positioned branding as a powerful economic lever. In Tampere, it’s used to attract talent, stimulate innovation, and unify internal departments around a shared narrative—making it a core part of the city’s long-term development strategy.

🌇 Hamburg: Process Makes the Brand: Thorsten Kausch , CEO of Stadtmanufaktur GmbH (Germany), highlighted Hamburg’s work to reframe the Reeperbahn district through structured collaboration. He emphasised that successful branding is not just about image, but about process—turning bold ideas into coordinated action with sustained stakeholder alignment.

''If you want to find your city’s brand, you need to find its DNA — what makes it tick, what your people really want" - Thorsten Kausch , CEO of Stadtmanufaktur

Tamlyn closed the session by reinforcing that citizen-rooted branding isn’t just PR—it’s essential infrastructure for cities navigating complexity, growth, and cultural change. The call to action? Involve people early, embrace imperfection, and use branding as a unifying force. See more insights from this session!

🤖 AI and Data for Better Cities: What’s Hot & What’s Coming

Hosted by our CEO & Founder, Alexander Schmidt , this session explored how cities across Europe are turning AI and data into practical, real-world solutions. Alex opened with a call to rethink how urban investments are made, noting that many city projects fail to deliver long-term impact. He shared how BABLE supports cities such as Galway and Potsdam in securing funding and designing smarter strategies through its extensive Knowledge Hub.

Dr. Anniina Autero from the Tampereen kaupunki - City of Tampere introduced how AI-powered digital twins and co-creation tools are shaping a participatory “Citiverse”—a planning model that integrates nature, safety, and citizen voices. Remigijus Simasius , former Mayor of Vilnius, expanded on the concept of a “senseable city” that anticipates urban needs using real-time data, open governance, and human-centred design.

From Urząd m.st. Warszawy , Michał Kuszewski presented the city’s pioneering framework for the responsible use of generative AI, grounded in public trust, EU compliance, and cross-departmental cooperation.

A major highlight came from Alexandra Großkurth , Global Lead for Geo Sustainability & Partnerships at Google , who unveiled Google’s new low- and no-code toolkit for cities—just weeks after its global debut in Las Vegas. This marked the first public presentation of the tool in Europe, offering local governments a user-friendly platform to act on sustainability data using Maps and Earth.

Finally, Rodolfo Pinto , CEO of SuperUrbanity , shared a compelling Use Case from Bergamo, where Forimpact.AI is helping the city track SDGs, communicate progress, and engage stakeholders on the path to climate neutrality.

"The solution to the great challenges of our time lies at the intersection among science, technology, politics and public consensus." - Rodolfo Pinto , CEO of SuperUrbanity

The session made one thing clear: when cities use data ethically and accessibly, AI can become a driving force for sustainability, inclusion, and innovation.

💸 Sustainability Pays

The “Sustainability Pays” session, co-chaired by Matt Owen , Executive Director at the Intelligent Community Forum , and Alexander Schmidt , focused on proving that environmentally responsible decisions also make economic sense.

Case studies from Essex County Council and Cascais Ambiente EMAC brought this theme to life. Thomas Day , Head of Energy and Low Carbon at Essex County Council (UK), shared the council’s ambitious £250 million Climate Action Plan, which aims to develop a self-sufficient energy network and support inclusive transition models for low-income households. From Portugal, João Dinis and Casimiro Monteiro of Cascais Ambiente EMAC presented initiatives such as the AdaptCascais Fund and solar-powered community energy projects, which are engaging thousands of residents and building resilience.

The session included breakout discussions and collective synthesis, enabling attendees to adapt these approaches to their local contexts. The overarching message: sustainability is not just a moral imperative—it’s a sound financial investment.

👆 Swiping Right on Unlikely Partners

This session challenged cities to form partnerships that cut across sectors, ideologies, and conventional silos. Facilitated by Tamlyn Shimizu , the session featured Birgit Rusten , Programme Manager at FutureBuilt (Norway); James Drinkwater , Head of the Built Environment Programme at the Laudes Foundation (Netherlands); and Kavitha Muthu, Technical Officer at the European Space Agency - ESA (UK).

Each speaker shared compelling examples of unconventional but highly effective collaborations, ranging from climate tech and philanthropy to aerospace and architectural innovation. Participants were encouraged to move beyond traditional partnership models and focus instead on shared goals, complementary capabilities, and building trust through transparency and long-term alignment.

🌦️ When Code Meets Climate: Data Changes Everything

Moderated by Alexander Schmidt , this session explored how digital tools and partnerships can drive meaningful climate action. Speakers included Ernst Gebetsroither-Geringer , Senior Expert Advisor at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology ; Gustave de Campigneulles , Head of Strategic Partnerships at Google (Switzerland); and Vicky Albert-Seifried , Senior Researcher at the Fraunhofer-Institut für Solare Energiesysteme ISE (Germany).

True climate resilience starts when technology meets people — combining top-down planning with bottom-up citizen action'' - Ernst Gebetsroither-Geringer , AIT Austrian Institute of Technology

The panel examined how open data, predictive analytics, and collaboration between public and private actors can support localised energy systems, optimise urban planning, and scale up climate solutions. The session concluded with a lively discussion and audience Q&A, reinforcing the idea that data is more than a technical asset—it is a cornerstone of effective climate leadership.

🦁 Go Wild or Go Home: Medium-Sized Cities Reclaiming Nature

Moderated by Tamlyn Shimizu , this session of Eurotowns , spotlighted nature-based solutions led by medium-sized cities across Europe. Speakers included Carlotta Bonvicini , Councillor for Climate Policies and Sustainable Mobility in Comune di Reggio Emilia (Italy); Anjo Valentí Moll , First Deputy Mayor and Councillor for Citizen Security, Civil Protection, Health and Sports in Ajuntament de Manresa (Spain); cristina sánchez , Head of SEO/ BirdLife International Catalonia (Spain); and Anna Baeck , Project Manager and Landscape Engineer in Varbergs kommun (Sweden).

As active members of the Eurotowns network, the speakers presented a diverse set of initiatives focused on increasing urban biodiversity and resilience. These included the transformation of landfill sites, the development of adaptive parks, the creation of ecological corridors, and educational programmes designed to engage residents in local climate action. The discussion underscored how medium-sized cities can implement effective and replicable rewilding strategies through local partnerships, targeted planning, and active community involvement, demonstrating that ecological impact does not require extensive budgets, but rather a strategic and collaborative approach.

🦈 Sink or Swim: Welcome to the Urban Shark Tank

Fast-paced, high-energy, and full of bold ideas, imagine having only 5 minutes to showcase your urban innovation to a panel of experts… and then face their rapid-fire questions. No pressure, right? That’s the vibe of Urban Shark Tank: be smart, be fast, be ready.

Six bold urban “fish” swam into the spotlight to present their innovative solutions for smarter, climate-neutral cities. Moderated by Alexander Schmidt , the session featured incisive commentary from our expert “Sharks”: Thomas Day ( Essex County Council ), Monica Magnussen ( Københavns Kommune ), Jacob Heitland ( London Borough of Newham ), and Lluisa Cendon (BIT Habitat, Barcelona).

Each innovator showcased a unique take on urban innovation:

🐟 Jacek Baczkowski , Co-founder and CTO of PublicTwin , introduced their citizen-centered digital twin platform, used to shape urban regeneration in Malmö.

🐟 Ruth Gow McLenachan , architect and urban planner from Healthy Cities. , presented community-driven design strategies for inclusive, well-being-oriented spaces.

🐟 Anna C W De Matos 🍀 , CEO and founder of the Circular Library Network , revealed a circular model for sharing knowledge and materials within cities.

🐟 Philipp Wilimzig , Geschäftsführer of Smart Village Solutions SVS GmbH , showcased tools supporting digital infrastructure in rural and peri-urban areas.

🐟 Rodolfo Pinto , CEO of SuperUrbanity , presented Forimpact.AI, a digital platform helping cities manage stakeholder engagement and track climate neutrality progress.

🐟 Marek Wolski , Cities Project Manager at WIDMO Spectral Technologies , demonstrated a georadar-based solution for non-invasive underground mapping to detect infrastructure risks.

🥇 Based on the audience vote, WIDMO took first place, followed by SuperUrbanity and PublicTwin. This session reminded us: innovation isn’t just surviving — it’s thriving.

💳 How to Get the European Union to Finance Your Project

This session provided practical guidance for city managers looking to secure European funding for their urban initiatives. With many municipalities facing tight local budgets, EU support is often essential, but navigating the application process can be complex and unclear.

Facilitated by Marco Buemi , Senior Expert and Project Manager at the Municipality of Verona (Italy); João Dinis , Climate Action Director at Cascais Ambiente EMAC (Portugal); and Alexander Schmidt (BABLE), the session focused on what makes a project proposal stand out—or fall short.

Participants gained valuable insights into aligning applications with EU policy priorities, using precise and impactful terminology, and understanding evaluation criteria from the perspective of funding assessors. Peer learning played a central role, with attendees exchanging experiences, reviewing real-life examples, and collaboratively refining their strategies for successful applications.

The clear takeaway? With the right framing, language, and focus, cities can greatly increase their chances of accessing the European funding they need to deliver smart, sustainable projects.

See you next year! 🔜

Our sessions at Urban Future 2025 spotlighted what happens when cities stop playing it safe and start getting real about branding, biodiversity, climate finance, and cross-sector collaboration. From monitoring underground infrastructure to rewilding schoolyards, from EU funding know-how to AI-powered engagement, the ideas shared were bold, practical, and rooted in everyday urban life.

As cities across Europe work toward a greener, fairer, and more resilient future, these conversations remind us: real change starts with honest dialogue, creative partnerships, and the courage to question what’s always been done. We can’t wait to continue the journey with you. See you next year!

Ready to make an impact? Let’s design your next event together!

Contact our Global Partnerships & Communications Lead: tamlyn@bable-smartcities.eu