Smart City : Digital technology as a positive urban innovation


 

On the 29th and 30th of September, the City of Marseille is organising the second edition of the Smart City forum, in partnership with ‘La Tribune’ newspaper. Aiming to imagine the city of tomorrow, this forum proposes two days considering the potential future, exchanges and debates which will mark the beginning of several weeks of meetings dedicated to the development of ‘Marseille – city of digital technology’, and especially the French Tech Weeks, which started on the 15th of September or the ‘Tour de France of Interconnectés’ starting from the 30th of September.

 Digital technology is bringing on an industrial and societal revolution which impacts citizens in their daily lives, as well as the modernisation of territories. This positive evolution of urban innovation is called Smart City. In the Aix-Marseille-Provence metropolis, this innovation momentum reconciles the advantages of the territory, living well together and new technology.

 The Marseille Mediterranean Smart City dynamic puts citizens at the heart of the project, also creating a convergence, capable of responding to the issues of sustainable development, urban resilience, effectiveness of public services, minimising costs and optimising investments.

 “Digital technology being at the heart of this third industrial revolution is a key transformation factor for our area. As a growth driver, it is also useful for sharing resources and social cohesion. Developing the digital technology economy while integrating urban optimisation to serve all locals is the choice which displays our optimism” says Daniel Sperling, deputy Mayor of Marseille, representative for innovation and development of digital technology.

 For the second edition of the Smart City Forum, the organisers have given the theme “The Metropolis, digital technology accelerator”. Located at the crossroads of Europe and the Mediterranean, Marseille has the advantage of a strategical position. A genuine hub of economics and exchange, it is the junction point for international underwater cables, a genuine dorsal fin of all the networks and data flow. The economic stance of the digital ecosystem, which is now just as important as the port, promises a strong development potential for future industries. “With 7000 companies and 40000 jobs which generate 8 billion Euros of annual turnover, our territory has an economic fabric of creative, efficient and agile digital technology entrepreneurs. The French Tech label, renewed last July confirms the recognition of this energy and highlights the attractiveness of our area” Daniel Sperling concludes.

 In short

 The Digital Technology Industry in Numbers

  • 44 000 jobs in the metropolitan area
  • 8 300 companies
  • 8 billion Euros turnover
  • 55% of digital technology jobs in the PACA region are in the Marseille metropolis
  • More than 50 digital technology companies in the 23 000 m2 of the Belle de Mai media centre, with 1000 jobs

Did you know?

 Marseille was recognised by the Organisation for Cooperation and Economic Development (OCDE) as one of the 40 most innovative cities in the world