Introduction

The city of Bilbao (pop. 350.000) tops the ranking of the main Spanish cities, according to Greenpeace**, for its commitment to sustainable mobility thanks to an increase in the city´s pedestrian zones. Mobility plans, indicators of public transport offered a network of existing cycle paths and pedestrian streets, and the level of pollution and noise back this results which pursue a modal shift towards energy efficient, safer, and active mobility.

​ Placing pedestrian mobility at the centre of urban life, with 64 % of journeys made by foot, compared to only 11 % by car. The Biscayan capital is the city with the best mobility rating, with firm commitment to sustainable modes, adopting far-reaching measures that are reducing car use and improving the quality of life of their residents, such as the recovery of pedestrian areas, a varied offer of public transport, e-bike sharing platform, management and charging for EVs, and the transformation into ‘City 30’ zones, reducing the maximum permitted speed in 87 % of its streets. Bilbao, supported by a vast innovation ecosystem, is eager to co-design new solutions to future challenges.
The city of Bilbao is working hand in hand with the Tecnalia Foundation for Research and Innovation. Tecnalia has the goal to transform technology into GDP, meaning wealth to improve people’s quality of life through the generation of business opportunities for the industry. Tecnalia is committed to generating major impacts in economic terms, by means of innovation and technological development, addressed by their technological divisions covering the domains of Energy, Environment, Industry, Transport, Building Technologies, Health, and ICT. Tecnalia supports 2008 different institutions in the design and development of programs to boost new ideas and business using a learning by doing approach that focuses on leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship.​

Barcelona City Council was the initiator of the first edition of the Citython. Formulating an urban mobility challenge and providing support during the event. Because of their motivation to create a livable city with an inclusive and clean urban transport system, Barcelona is more than eager to host a future edition of the Citython as an experienced city. The council will define a new challenge for the 2021 Citython edition in Barcelona, provide support to participants with the help of UPC and develop a follow-up plan for working with the winners of Citython Barcelona 2021. 

Challenges

Calming down urban traffic in Bilbao, the 30km/h challenge

Solidary and sustainable Urban Logistic for Bilbao

Help Barcelona citizens to move in a safer, more sustainable and healthier way

Bilbao is a pioneer in setting the speed limit throughout the city at 30km/h. It aims to facilitate the coexistence on public roads of different types of vehicles, with a clear nod to the most vulnerable: bicycles, scooters, … pedestrians. At 30km/h, not only do the consequences of the accidents decrease in intensity, but the reduction in environmental and noise pollution becomes palpable. However, not all drivers are able to change their mods from one day to the next for various reasons. The city needs to meet this goal to promote more respectful and inclusive mobility and thus faces the dilemma: How to get cars to respect the 30km/h limit? More control systems/penalties/fines or incentives through gamification systems,… other?
E-commerce is generating new habits in which the immediacy of the purchase is gaining ground; fast, free shipping and recollection cause terrible saturation of urban roads with a myriad of eminently polluting vehicles of all kinds that sometimes pass more than four times through the same points in the same day. Citizens obtain their satisfaction in exchange for dissatisfaction that is already costing a high price to the city of which they are part. This challenge aims to raise awareness of the problem, analyze its origins, contours and causes, its agents and affected parties, and generate alternative solutions to blockage, restriction or limitation, through innovative and creative ideas in which all those involved and can participate.
Barcelona SUMP 2024 puts citizens in the centre of city mobility. Thus, it aims to boost a modal change that makes it possible that more than 80% of trips inside the city are made by sustainable modes (walking, cycling and public transport) in 2024. Citizens’ health is another of Barcelona main concerns and so SUMP 2024 goals for active mobility are highly ambitious. But above all, we are aware that we must make trips safer, especially for the most vulnerable (pedestrians and cyclists). We are looking for smart solutions to identify the riskiest areas for vulnerable and propose actions to make their trips safer.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!

Event Agenda

Thursday, 8th July
10:00-10:25. Welcome speech
• Speech by Daniel Serra, EIT Urban Mobility
• Speech by Alfonso Gil, City of Bilbao
• Speech by Eugeni Rico, City of Barcelona​
10:25-10:55. Announcement Challenge I
¨Calming down urban traffic in Bilbao, the 30km/h challenge¨
Inspirational Techpill Talk I
• Speech by Nelida Santos, City of Bilbao​
• Speech by Roberto de San Salvador del Valle Doistua​, University of Deusto
• Q&A
10:55-11:00. Virtual Coffee break
11:00-11:30. Announcement Challenge II
¨Solidary and sustainable Urban Logistic for Bilbao¨
Inspirational Techpill Talk II
• Speech by Urrotz Larrañaga, City of Bilbao
• Speech by Jesus de la Quintana, Tecnalia
• Q&A
11:30-12:00. Announcement Challenge III
¨Help Barcelona citizens to move in safer, more sustainable and healthier way¨
Inspirational Techpill Talk III
• Speech by Eugeni Rico, City of Barcelona
• Speech by Melisa Pesoa, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
• Q&A

Closure

Sunday, 11th July ​
18:00. Registration deadline!
Wednesday, 14th July
09:00. Announcement of Teams. Start Hacking! ​
Friday, 16th July ​
10:00-13:00. Individual mentoring session I ​
Monday, 19th July ​ ​
10:00-13:00. Individual mentoring session II ​
Tuesday, 20th July ​​ ​
12:00. Deadline submission of final solutions (mid-term review form & video).

​ If these two files are not sent, your group will be automatically disqualified. You will not be able to pitch in front of the jury members on Wednesday, 21 July and therefore you will not be eligible for any of the announced prizes.

​ 16:00. Publication of the final candidates.

Wednesday, 21st July ​ ​
10:00 – 12:00. Final candidates presentations to the jury members

​ 15:00 – 15:30. Announcement of winners and closure.

Webinar - 8 July 2021

Speakers

Daniel Serra
Director Innovation Hub South, EIT Urban Mobility
Alfonso Gil
Deputy Mayor and Delegate Councillor of the Mobility and Sustainability Area, City of Bilbao
Nelida Santos
Mobility and Sustainability Area, City of Bilbao
Roberto San Salvador del Valle Doistua
Director of Cities Lab Katedra, Deusto University
Urrotz Larrañaga
Intelligent Transport System Engineer – Mobility and Sustainability, City of Bilbao
Jesus de la Quintana
Head of Emerging Initiatives Urban Solutions, Tecnalia
Eugeni Rico
Senior Mobility Engineer in the Strategy of Mobility Department, Barcelona City Council
Melisa Pesoa
Researcher and lecturer, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Mentors

Elisabete Alberdi
Department of Applied Mathematics. Participant in EHU Mugituz (Campus Bizia Lab), University of the Basque Country
Ana Arroyo
Senior Researcher and trainer. Innovation and entrepreneurship, Tecnalia
J.Manuel Pedrero
Consultant and trainer in digital transformation and Industry 4.0. Professor of Product Engineering, Tecnalia.
Iñaki Zuazo Urionabarrenetxea
Industrial Engineer, University of the Basque Country
Prof. Dr. Alberto de la Calle
Proffesor and Researcher at Design, Mechanics and Industrial Management Department, Deusto University
Myriam Elizabeth Vaca Recalde
Industrial Electronics and Automation Engineer, PhD Student, Tecnalia
Daniel Ariñez
Product Owner, Autonomous Ready (Project collaboration with barcelona City Concil and DGT)
Raul Torne
Data Scientist, Autonomous Ready (Project collaboration with barcelona City Concil and DGT)

Jury Members

Matteo Consonni
Business Creation Manager, EIT Urban Mobility
Urrotz Larrañaga
Intelligent Transport System Ingineer – Mobility & Sustainability, City of Bilbao
Jesus de la Quintana
Head of Emerging Initiatives Urban Solutions, Tecnalia
Dr. Laia Pagés
Executive and Scientific Manager, CARNET
Eugeni Rico
Senior Mobility Engineer in the Starategy of Mobility department, Barcelona City Concil

Master of Ceremony

Jezabel Martínez Fábregas
External and Digital Communications Manager, EIT Urban Mobility

Partners of Citython 2021 - Bilbao & Barcelona

This project is funded by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. EIT Urban Mobility acts to accelerate positive change on mobility to make urban spaces more liveable. Learn more: eiturbanmobility.eu.