We are sitting on the fourth floor in EADA Barcelona city centre campus in the heart of the smart city of Barcelona, eager to understand what “smart city” stands for. Over 30 master and MBA students from all over the world are excited to hear from guest speaker Renato de Castro. Renato is CEO of Suiphos –and a world-renowned lecturer on international strategy and attracting investors to smart cities.
During the conference, City Smartup: Fostering the new urban revolution, Renato shared shocking data on how the world’s population was growing. Statistics show that by 2030, over 70% of the world’s population is likely to be concentrated in cities, so it is crucial to find ways to promote competitiveness that is both inclusive and sustainable. He also spoke about interesting new types of economies: the creative economy, shared economy, circular economy and concretion. Renato emphasised that finding ways to promote inclusive and sustainable competitiveness is one of our greatest challenges.
According to Renato, smart cities represent a change in mindset: applying new technologies for a better life, without changing the DNA of the city itself. Attendees left with the realisation that it was up to us to be “smart” enough to take advantage of this revolution that is bringing new job opportunities, particularly for candidates with international profiles.
Article written by Marta Balaguer, International Master in Marketing student and attendee of the conference City Smartup: Fostering the new urban revolution.