Vienna, Simplisafe & Co: The Top Smart Cities and IoT Startups 2020
Two of the top 3 smart cities are in Europe. The market for IoT startups, on the other hand, is broad in its sectors…
When all of a sudden (almost) everything is connected to the Internet and machines communicate directly with machines, completely new business areas arise.
From smart garbage cans to entire smart cities. Services can be built around people and make our everyday lives insanely easier. But the big problems of the IoT, such as security or data protection, are also interesting areas.
“If you think that the internet has changed your life, think again. The Internet of Things is about to change it all over again!”
Brendan O’Brien, Chief Innovation Officer & Co-Founder at Aria Systems
In this article, we look at both the most impressive smart cities and a few of the up-and-coming startups tinkering with the future of the Internet of Things.
Smart cities: top 3 cities of the urban future
The Internet of Things is perfectly suited to disrupt our classic image of big cities. As we’ve seen in the application areas of IoT, the technology can reach almost every area of our daily lives, from smart homes and mobility to education and infrastructure. That we are dependent on technological solutions is demonstrated by challenges such as increasing traffic, air pollution and rising, urban populations.
With its Smart City Index, the management consultancy Roland Berger provides a comparison of the world’s smartest cities. In addition to important sectors, the strategy, budget and implementation are also examined. The results clearly show that the cities that are successful in the transformation are those that establish a central decision-making body and thus exclude unclear responsibilities and a lack of coordination of the smart city strategy from the outset. Another conclusion is that the majority of projects fail because of implementation and not because of good strategies.
Vienna
Austria’s capital has set itself three main goals as part of its Smart City strategy. It wants to achieve “A high quality of life for all Viennese with the greatest possible conservation of resources through social and technical innovations.” These goals are monitored and also coordinated by the Smart City Agency as a central body.
London
The city on the Thames is one of the European hot spots for start-ups. So the move toward a smart city is only right. With the appointment of a Chief Digital Officer as well as a Board, the consistent implementation of their “Smarter London Together” strategy is being pursued. The roadmap is divided into five missions, ranging from public online services to even more efficient promotion of innovation and collaboration in the technology sector.
St. Albert
The small Canadian town of St. Albert is already working on their Smart City Strategy 2.0, having already achieved initial goals. Their well-documented strategy recognizes technology as a vehicle for positive change. In addition to promoting technology, the city is committed to building e-governance, smart infrastructure, but also mobility, environmental as well as data protection.
Must-Watch IoT Start Ups
At the forefront of disruptive technology development are mostly startups that are ahead of the big, lumbering market leaders in both speed and passion. The following is a small selection of exciting companies that are creating quite a buzz in the IoT market.
Airbiquity (Seattle, USA)
Sector: IoT car connectivity
https://www.airbiquity.com/
Over 25 million vehicles already use the Seattle-based startup’s technology. Airbiquity offers software for vehicle connectivity, diganosedata as well as infotainment and security. Partners include BMW, Bosch, Vodafone, Google and Spotify.
Axzon (Austin, USA)
Sector: Manufacturing
https://axzon.com/
The Internet of Things would not work without sensors. Axzon recognizes this and provides end-to-end sensor solutions for industry. Whether in mobility, predictive maintenance, or industrial plant monitoring, the list of industries that use their technology is long. The startup uses edge and cloud technologies to manage massive amounts of data.
Cooler Screens (Michigan, USA)
Sector: AdTech
www.coolerscreens.com/
The IoT is not shying away from brick-and-mortar retail. Cooler Screens plays out smart, contextual ads on glass cooler doors. The content is scheduled via a proprietary platform and analyzed in real time. The company’s tech stack consists of a combination of new technologies such as cloud, AI and high-resolution displays.
Enevo (Boston, USA)
Sector: Waste Management
https://www.enevo.com/
Since 2010, Enevo, originally founded in Finland, has specialized in waste management. With 45,000 sensors on six continents, it offers companies and smart cities easy ways to analyze waste levels, plan collection routes according to demand, and use resources efficiently.
Simplisafe (Boston, USA)
Sector: Home Security
https://simplisafe.com/
In the connected home of the future, start-up Simplisafe positions itself as a security service. Sensors, cameras and audio devices record burglaries as well as fire and water damage and report them both to their owners and to security services. The devices are so good at this that they can tell the difference between pets and people.
Tive (Boston, USA)
Sector: Software
https://tive.co/
Boston-based startup Tive was created to give companies real-time visibility into their transit assets. This goes from the location to the condition of the shipment. The cloud-based application creates alerts and gives detailed reports to its users.
Xage Security (Palo Alto, USA)
Sector: industrial security with blockchain
https://xage.com/
With increasingly complex digital processes, the need for strong security concepts in industrial sectors is growing. Blockchain provides a strong technological basis for this. Xage uses this to keep identity data, access and end device management secure.
