BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY
Improving urban life
Bar-Ilan University’s Center for Smart Cities is an ecosystem where researchers, entrepreneurs, municipalities and citizens work to better understand cities’ needs, finding innovative, digital solutions to meet them
The Bar-Ilan Center for Smart Cities provides services, activities and research all geared towards one aim: smart city development. This concept aims to see urban centers flourish with digital solutions for better infrastructure, improved resource management, reduced pollution and more. From a sustainable environment to better governance, smart cities provide a higher quality of life for all their citizens. The center offers a space where small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can access tools and expertise to develop products under the banner of smart city living — think real-time water monitoring systems, autonomous cars and accessibility technology. A team of experts in digital technologies, finance, market intelligence and more is on hand to assist with everything from brainstorming through to training. SMEs can also make use of a number of set services, including an annual accelerator program, info days and a Collaborative Funding Clinic. The support of the center doesn’t stop there:
through its ‘living lab’ initiative, the campus becomes a real-life beta-testing site for these solutions. Facing many of the problems of a regular city — transportation, energy and security, to name but a few — the university grounds are an ideal testbed for entrepreneurs. Not only are they invited to install their systems on campus, but they can also collaborate with the university’s researchers to validate them.
10 Israeli Academia | 2022
A user-friendly approach Networking is central to the operations of the impact hub and takes place on multiple levels. Providing smart city solutions is first and foremost about understanding the needs of urban citizens. For this reason, the research and innovation happening at the center aims to include policymakers and citizens through all stages of development, ensuring the end results can fit and solve real-life urban needs. To build a user-oriented hub, the center initially
connected with seven cities and municipalities in the area surrounding the university campus, representing about 750,000 citizens. Since then, the network has grown to include 20 urban centers in Israel and a dozen internationally. As part of this collaboration, residents of nearby areas are invited to join the center’s meetings, learn about the innovation happening there and provide their feedback. Last but not least, after having helped the
SMEs develop their products, one of the core activities of the hub is to connect them with potential clients. Representatives of these municipalities are offered guided tours of the Bar-Ilan campus and the center, during which they’re presented with the different solutions. Upon request, they can be then put in contact with the developers to explore the potential for collaborations — an approach that’s already fostered numerous partnerships.
The Bar-Ilan Entrepreneurship Club operates as part of the Smart Cities Center, allowing students to expand their knowledge and increasing their exposure to innovation
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