Smart City

Smart Cities are cities that harness the potential of digitalization to become more modern and liveable. The term Smart City therefore encompasses various development concepts that aim to make urban spaces more efficient, more environmentally friendly, more technologically advanced and more socially inclusive. Innovative digital technologies and connected systems are critical to achieving these goals.

The Smart Cities sector includes technology, infrastructure and consulting companies, as well as municipal authorities and utility companies. Examples of solutions from the sector include smart transportation systems, energy management solutions, connected buildings, digital platforms for citizen participation, security technologies, environmental monitoring and management, and smart services.

The Smart Cities sector offers enormous opportunities for NRW, Germany's largest metropolitan area. The optimization and connectivity of infrastructure can secure a decisive competitive advantage for the state with its high urban and population density. In particular, interdisciplinary collaboration in the areas of mobility and digitalization, as well as cooperation between private and public institutions, offer great potential in NRW.

"Smart Cities are a great opportunity for the state of NRW in two respects. On the one hand, they increase the attractiveness of the most populous German state as a place to live and work. In addition, Smart Cities in NRW and internationally offer great potential as a sales market for the innovative economy of our state - from innovative startups in the digital economy to medium-sized and large companies as successful solution providers in the Smart City submarkets. This is where NRW can already play to its strengths."

Thomas Müller

Managing Director of bee smart city GmbH

500 companies

are active in the Smart City sector in NRW

543 million €

are generated by the Smart City sector in NRW

One fifth

of the sector's turnover for the whole of Germany

41 million €

export volume accounted for the Smart City sector

Companies with Smart City solutions

Communications experts, IT specialists, and innovative startups

NRW not only offers great potential in terms of digital solutions for sustainable urban development, but is already home to many companies in this sector. Around one fifth of German companies in this sector come from NRW. Diversity is a major advantage here. The spectrum ranges from leading international telecommunications providers to IT specialists and startups with new, innovative concepts.

Smart City model projects

Several cities in NRW are among the smartest in Germany. In the "Smart City Index 2023", which is published annually by the digital industry association Bitkom, 17 cities in NRW are among the top 50. With Cologne (3rd place), Aachen (5th place), Bochum (11th place) and Dortmund (18th place), four cities are even among the top 20 in the national ranking. In addition, the cities of Düsseldorf and Bielefeld perform strongly in the area of administration, Paderborn, Münster and Bergisch Gladbach in energy and environment, and Gelsenkirchen in IT and communications.

NRW is characterized by a broad university and research landscape. In the Smart City sector, the focus is on future city solutions, sustainable building and urban district development, mobility and transport policy. In addition, the many universities and technical colleges in NRW offer courses related to the Smart City sector, including Master's degree courses in urban development, urban planning, spatial planning, transforming city regions, urban development NRW, building automation and integrated construction. In addition to RWTH Aachen University, Cologne University of Applied Sciences and Münster University of Applied Sciences also have such a study focus.

Cluster & networks

Photo credits

The photographic material was kindly provided by

© HEYST
© bee smart city GmbH und Rockstein Fotografie
© Deutsche Telekom AG
© AdobeStock, AA+W
© Shutterstock, GaudiLab
© Energielenker Management GmbH & Co KG
© Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Industrie, Klimaschutz und Energie, T. Willemsen
© EINHUNDERT Energie GmbH
© NRW.Global Business/Jan Tepass
© AdobeStock, engel.ac
© Stadt Bochum
© Stadt Dortmund-Stephan Schütze
© Tobit Laboratories AG

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North Rhine-Westphalia has long since ceased to be just the land of heavy industry and staid SMEs. In a dynamic environment of excellent research clusters, innovative startups, world market and industry leaders and globally active SMEs, a federal state has developed that stands for economic success in Germany like no other. Whether e-mobility, cyber security, Industry 4.0 or biotech or medtech: In NRW, people are already working on the future.