Cities

Explore the cities involved and how they contribute to testing solutions and addressing urban challenges in their local contexts.

Our Smart City Members

UTA collaborates with a network of smart cities partners around the world to implement cutting-edge urban solutions. These cities act as living labs, piloting new technologies and strategies in mobility, energy efficiency, and citizen engagement. Each city contributes unique insights and best practices, helping other municipalities replicate successful approaches. Explore our full list of partner cities to understand how they are shaping the smart city ecosystem, driving sustainable growth, and adopting innovative solutions for urban challenges. Learn more about these cities and their pilot projects through detailed case studies and external resources.

Bibai is a small city in Hokkaido, Japan, known for its coal mining heritage and rich natural landscapes. Today, it focuses on revitalization through sustainable agriculture, renewable energy initiatives, and community-centered development. Surrounded by wetlands and bird habitats, Bibai promotes eco-tourism and environmental preservation while adapting to demographic challenges through smart local governance and regional collaboration.

🇰🇷 South Korea

Located between Seoul and Incheon, Bucheon is a dynamic cultural and industrial city in South Korea. It is internationally recognized for its creative industries, particularly animation and film, and hosts the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. The city combines advanced manufacturing with innovation-driven policies, smart city initiatives, and strong public services, positioning itself as a vibrant urban hub within the greater Seoul metropolitan area.

🇰🇷 South Korea

Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city, is a global maritime hub and major port connecting Northeast Asia to international markets. Known for its beaches, mountains, and dynamic cultural scene, Busan balances industrial strength with tourism and digital innovation. The city is advancing smart port systems, green mobility, and climate adaptation strategies while reinforcing its role as a logistics, finance, and technology gateway.

🇵🇭 Philippines

Cauayan City, located in Isabela Province in the Philippines, is often referred to as the “Agri-Tourism Capital of the North.” With a strong agricultural base, it is developing agro-industrial infrastructure and digital governance initiatives to modernize public services. Cauayan promotes sustainable farming, disaster resilience, and inclusive economic growth while strengthening connectivity and investment opportunities in the Cagayan Valley region.

Fujisawa, located in Kanagawa Prefecture near Tokyo, is a coastal city known for its quality of life and innovative urban development. It gained global attention through the Fujisawa Sustainable Smart Town project, integrating renewable energy, smart grids, and community services. With strong transport links and a focus on environmental sustainability, Fujisawa promotes resilient, citizen-centered urban planning.

Grenoble Alpes Métropole

🇫🇷 France

Grenoble Alpes Métropole is a leading innovation-driven metropolitan area in southeastern France. Surrounded by the Alps, it combines scientific excellence with environmental leadership. The region hosts major research institutions and technology clusters specializing in microelectronics, energy, and digital industries. Committed to ecological transition, it advances sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, and climate adaptation strategies across its municipalities.

Saitama City, located north of Tokyo, is a major residential and commercial center within the Greater Tokyo Area. Known for its efficient transport connections and green spaces, it balances urban growth with quality of life. Saitama promotes disaster resilience, smart infrastructure, and digital public services, positioning itself as a forward-looking city supporting Japan’s metropolitan innovation ecosystem.

Santander, capital of the Cantabria region in northern Spain, is a coastal city recognized for its natural beauty and digital innovation efforts. It has been a European pioneer in smart city experimentation, deploying sensor networks to improve mobility, waste management, and energy use. Combining tourism, maritime activity, and research partnerships, Santander fosters sustainable urban development and citizen engagement.

🇰🇷 South Korea

Sejong is South Korea’s administrative capital, purpose-built to decentralize government functions from Seoul. Designed as a smart and sustainable city, it integrates green spaces, intelligent transport systems, and digital public administration. Sejong serves as a model for innovative urban planning in Asia, emphasizing balanced regional development, environmental performance, and technology-driven governance.

🇰🇷 South Korea

Siheung, located in Gyeonggi Province near Seoul, is an evolving industrial and residential city. Historically focused on manufacturing, it is transitioning toward advanced industries, marine research, and eco-friendly urban projects. With expanding waterfront developments and smart infrastructure initiatives, Siheung aims to enhance environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness within the Seoul metropolitan region.

🇹🇼 Taiwan

Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is a dynamic metropolis known for its high-tech industries, vibrant culture, and efficient public services. As a global leader in electronics and innovation, the city supports startups and smart city experimentation. Taipei emphasizes sustainable transport, digital governance, and climate resilience, blending modern skyscrapers with rich historical and cultural heritage.

Tsukuba, located in Ibaraki Prefecture, is Japan’s leading science city. The city was officially established as a national science hub in 1963, with dozens of research institutions relocated from Tokyo, shaping its unique innovation-driven identity. Tsukuba fosters innovation in robotics, space exploration, environmental science, and advanced technology. With modern infrastructure and a strong academic ecosystem, it plays a key role in Japan’s research and development landscape.

Partner Cities

UTA also collaborates with partner cities worldwide that contribute to smart city initiatives by supporting pilot activities and sharing local insights.

Área Metropolitana de Barcelona

The Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) brings together 36 municipalities and over 3 million residents, forming one of Southern Europe’s leading urban regions. It coordinates mobility, urban planning, housing, and environmental policies at a metropolitan scale. Strongly committed to sustainability and digital innovation, AMB advances public transport integration, energy transition, circular economy initiatives, and climate resilience strategies to build a smarter, greener urban ecosystem.

🇲🇩 Moldova

Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, is the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. Characterized by green spaces and Soviet-era architecture blended with modern developments, the city is undergoing gradual modernization. Chisinau focuses on infrastructure upgrades, digital transformation, energy efficiency, and improved public services to enhance quality of life and strengthen its integration with European economic and institutional networks.

🇮🇪 Ireland

Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is a leading European tech and innovation hub. Home to major global companies and a thriving startup ecosystem, the city combines historical heritage with forward-looking urban policies. Dublin prioritizes smart mobility, housing development, climate action, and digital infrastructure. Its strong university presence and international connectivity make it a key gateway between Europe and North America.

🇵🇱 Poland

The Metropolis GZM in southern Poland is one of Central Europe’s largest metropolitan unions, bringing together multiple cities in the Silesian region. Historically shaped by heavy industry, GZM is transforming into a diversified economy focused on services, innovation, and sustainable mobility. It coordinates metropolitan transport, spatial planning, and economic development, strengthening regional cohesion and competitiveness.

🇫🇮 Finland

Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is a leading Nordic city recognized for its high quality of life, functional design, and digital innovation. Located on the Baltic Sea, it combines urban density with access to nature and coastal landscapes. Helsinki is a pioneer in smart city solutions, open data, and carbon neutrality goals, aiming to become one of the most sustainable and technologically advanced cities in the world.

🇹🇷 Türkiye

Istanbul is Türkiye’s largest city and a unique metropolis spanning both Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. With over 15 million residents, it is a major economic, cultural, and logistics hub connecting continents. The city combines historical heritage with rapid urban growth and infrastructure development. Istanbul is actively investing in smart mobility, disaster resilience, and sustainable urban services to manage its scale and strategic position.

🇩🇪 Germany

Jena is a mid-sized city in Germany known for its strong scientific and technological ecosystem. Home to leading research institutions and companies in optics and photonics, it plays a key role in innovation within the region of Thuringia. With a high quality of life and a compact urban structure, Jena focuses on sustainable mobility, digital transformation, and collaboration between academia and industry.

Milan is Italy’s economic and financial capital, renowned for design, fashion, and innovation. As a global city, it blends historical heritage with modern architecture and business dynamism. Milan leads in sustainable urban regeneration, smart mobility, and digital transformation initiatives. Hosting major international events and institutions, it plays a central role in shaping Italy’s competitiveness and European urban leadership.

🇺🇸 United States

New York City is the largest city in the United States and a global hub for finance, culture, media, and innovation. Comprising five boroughs—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island—it is home to over 8 million residents. NYC plays a central role in the global economy, hosting major institutions like Wall Street and the United Nations. The city is also a leader in smart urban services, sustainability initiatives, and resilient infrastructure.

🇦🇱 Albania

Tirana, the capital of Albania, has experienced rapid transformation over the past two decades. Colorful architecture, public space revitalization, and growing cultural industries characterize its urban renewal. The city invests in sustainable mobility, green spaces, and digital governance reforms to modernize infrastructure and strengthen its role as a regional economic and political center in the Western Balkans.