OiER and the Industry Association BTG have announced a far-reaching collaboration during the BTG Business Event in Noordwijk. Thanks to the now announced collaboration with BTG, Branch Association for ICT Telecommunications Great Users, the two parties can join forces in supporting cities to become smarter and more sustainable.
Olaf Müller, chairman of the BTG expert group Smart Cities: "Thanks to the collaboration with United Smart Cities, we gain access to the Smart Sustainable Solution Platform for Cities, the database of United Smart Cities full of solutions used all over the world to make cities smarter. We cannot, of course, oversee all Smart City developments in the rest of the world. Thanks to this collaboration, we gain access to this knowledge."
Kari Aina Eik, Secretary-General of the Organization of International Economic Relations and United Smart Cities is also enthusiastic about the cooperation: "It is more logical to pursue these kinds of goals in partnerships with other initiatives. In the Netherlands BTG is a good reflection of both users of technology and its providers. A very interesting business community that touches all sectors. Our big goal is to support cities in becoming smarter. We achieve that goal faster through a collaboration like this."
Petra Claessen, Managing Director & New Business BTG: "This partnership opens doors for both United Smart Cities and BTG. They can learn from Dutch Smart City initiatives via BTG, we learn from United Smart Cities what happens internationally and in the Smart City Labs."
Within the collaboration, Dutch cities can join the United Smart Cities program and get access to the investment marketplace. Moreover, cities will get a standardize feedback on their urban activities through the UNECE Smart Sustainable KPI evaluation.
Kari Aina Eik: "I am very excited about this: we have done smart city assessments in Dubai, Singapore, and Russia, but not yet in the Netherlands. After such an evaluation, we act as matchmaker and we connect the cities with urban experts, with other cities and we provide financial resources. The collaboration between BTG and United Smart Cities will ensure that the development of municipalities is gaining momentum and that is the objective we are striving for."
The first joint action of United Smart Cities and BTG will be a large joint event on Smart Cities in the first quarter of 2019. The aim of this event is to inspire and further develop cities.
Apart from the cooperation between USC and BTG the AirPod 2.0 was presented during these Business Event. The first car in the Netherlands that runs on air.
Rudi Standaert developer: "The car that runs on air will become commercially available in 2019 and will be produced in three versions. There will be an AirPod 2.0 for passenger transport (with a variant for 40 kilometers per hour for people without a license), one in the form of a Pickup and one in the form of a van."
It is no coincidence that the AirPod has been designated by the UN as the most durable vehicle. United Smart Cities is pleased that Rudi Standaert and the AirPod 2.0 are already part of the USC infrastructure & mobility group to develop new concepts for cities worldwide.
Kari Aina Eik: "We look at the best and most sustainable solutions. In our vision, the AirPod 2.0 belongs to this. That is why we really want to support this technology.
Edwin Bijl M2M manager of Post Telecom Luxembourg: "It is important to show in this area that there are sustainable alternatives. Within the Infrastructure & Mobility project group, we look at how we can improve the total infrastructure of cities. A car that runs on air definitely plays a role in this. This fits in with the environmental ambitions of the Netherlands. Now we have to find out the mayors. "
