Singapore, Helsinki and Zurich are positioned as the smartest and most functional cities in the world, being an example of competitiveness, innovation, sustainability and resilience, this makes them a focus of attraction for entrepreneurs and investors.

ey consume between 60% and 80% of energy and are responsible for 75% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. 

Top 10

The Smart City Index 2020 presented the smartest cities in the world, which ranks them based on economic and technological data, as well as on the opinions of their inhabitants.

The following are the leaders of the ranking:

• Singapore, Republic of Singapore

Singapore is crowned the world´s smartest city, its ‘Smart Nation’ initiative was born in 2014 and years later benefited from a government investment of 1.73 billion dollars. 

Today it has taken the lead in important indexes such as the Global Competitiveness, prepared by the World Bank or the Asian Digital Transformation Index, and through the use of technology, it is able to face challenges such as demographic growth, climate change and poverty.

• Helsinki, Finland

The city of Helsinki is taking action to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and improve the quality of life of its residents, for which it has acquired special leadership in mobility and circular economy. It is currently working together with business, the scientific community and residents. Its mission is to become the most functional city in the world.

• Zurich, Switzerland

With world-class infrastructure in the form of a fiber-optic network, Zurich is a city that sets the highest standards for quality of life and is supported by an ecosystem of smart companies, working together with different industries to launch new projects.

Since 2015, interconnected electricity, cooling and heating circuits controlled by a smart management system have been installed in several buildings. As a result, there has been a reduction in CO2 emissions.

• Auckland, New Zealand

In 2018, Auckland launched a smart city program as part of its ‘Innovate Auckland’ initiative that has sought collaboration between governments, businesses and residents to work collectively.

There are several initiatives exploring smart solutions for monitoring different areas of interest such as: infrastructure, transportation, sustainability, agricultural development, business support and investment.

• Oslo, Norway

There are a wide range of smart projects in Oslo, from electric buses, waste management systems and clean energy to zero-emission sites. The city plans to digitize as much as possible.

Among its strengths are the level of education, recycling services and green spaces.

• Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen has joined efforts to create a more sustainable city and provide a better quality of life for its inhabitants. Its projects include the installation of GPS in buses, sensors in sewers and garbage cans, as well as the intelligent use of mobile data. Its main objectives are to reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions.

• Geneva, Switzerland

Once again, a Swiss city appears in the ranking. In Geneva, projects have been developed to provide motorists with real-time information on available parking spaces. Sensors have also been installed to measure and prevent noise, and to inform citizens of data such as temperature.

• Taipei, Taiwan

Since 2016, Taipei established a Smart City project management office, which has facilitated the inclusion of initiatives in both the public and private sectors. It has programs for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles aimed at collecting water samples from the city’s reservoirs, as well as the use of sensors to inform residents about air quality. 

• Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Dutch capital encourages innovation and sustainability in several areas, and has become the ideal environment for the development of technological startups. The main advantage it has is that its government is a fervent defender of technological progress.

Among its strengths are the speed and reliability of the Internet, which satisfies the connectivity needs of the population and the provision of medical services.

• New York, USA

The U.S. city is valued for its high penetration of technology and its ability to generate it. In addition, it stands out for being the most important economic center in the world, which attracts many companies and also promotes their creation. 

It also stands out for its high Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the number of companies listed on the stock exchange.

Smart Cities are empowered for efficient operations and service delivery. Thus, they are attractive not only for their inhabitants, but also for entrepreneurs and investors, as they represent a safe space for capital injection.