Sofia among 15 Cities Selected to Receive Support for Digital Transformation
The Invest Sofia team won a place in the Digital Cities Challenge project of the European Commission. Thus Sofia is among the 15 cities that will be supported by the project in initiatives for digital transformation of urban environment and society. Sofia will be included in a special mentoring and networking program and will receive strategic support in solving and implementing specific projects for the city.
The European Commission’s Digital Cities Challenge initiative aims to help 15 European cities to promote the use of cutting edge technologies. Thus they will stimulate their growth, create jobs and become more attractive places to live in. The initiative includes cities in Europe, currently showing steady progress in digitization and strongly motivated to benefit from digital transformation.
As part of the project, Sofia will receive free support, mentorship and assistance in implementing projects that promote further innovation and productivity and above all improve the quality of life in the city.
What else is expected:
– Free advice and assistance from experts who will be familiar with city environment, current challenges and future ambitions;
– Access to tools that allow an assessment of the digital maturity of the city and outline future results that are to be achieved;
– Access to training sessions, European networks and platforms to build a local team of experts;
– Dialogue with other European cities that have begun or are about to begin the process and have good practices for exchange of experience and ideas;
The team of Invest Sofia won the project at the very first stage of the competition, when the first 5 cities were selected. The project will last for 18 months as of January 2018 to June 2019. The remaining cities of all 15 will be included in a 14-month program and will be selected in February at the second stage of the application.
The organization responsible for the implementation of the Digital Cities Challenge project is Invest Sofia, and the contracting authority for the implementation of the program is Sofia municipality. At the end of its participation in the European Commission’s project, Sofia will have a developed clear strategy and action plan for the transition to digital transformation. It will include actual, achievable and measurable steps that are to be taken in the short, medium and long run. A community of local stakeholders willing to be involved in the digital transformation process will be set up and their specific role and activities will be defined. Sofia will be part of a network of European cities with a leading experience in the digital transformation and will be able to offer its expertise and mentorship to other expert teams and cities in Europe that will also begin their transformation process.
For more information and examples of successful practices in other cities involved in the program, visit the project’s website: http://www.digitallytransformyourregion.eu/
