17 September 2021

The European Commission will host a virtual Tech4Good Marketplace workshop via Zoom from 11.30 - 13.00 on 12 October 2021 as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC).   

EWRC is an annual event in its 19th year that encourages regions and cities to showcase their ability to create growth and jobs, implement cohesive EU policy and prove the importance of good European governance at the local and regional level. This year, the theme is ‘Together for Recovery,’ and over 300 sessions on topics including cohesion, green transition, digital transition and citizen engagement will be held online from 11 - 14 October. 

The Tech4Good Marketplace supports green and digital transition by promoting the use of tech and online platforms to transform communities. Economic, social and environmental causes can be advanced through innovative and technology-powered business models, which then lead to smart solutions. These solutions are often developed and deployed by local entrepreneurs and are successfully being carried out across the EU, especially among start-ups and SMEs. 

Representatives from two ICC cities - Ioannina (Greece) and Terrassa (Spain) - will share examples of Tech4Good in practice. Konstantinos Soulis will introduce attendees to Consultation Platform, which concerns citizen participation and contribution to public discussion regarding City Hall decisions in Ioannina. Each consultation moves through three phases where citizens can submit comments, where comments are processed and where a review of the comments is published.  

Secondly, Esther Camara will share her city’s Open Data Terrassa, a portal where any person, company or organisation can access data that they can analyse, reuse and redistribute. Having open access to data allows people to build upon the information that is currently out there and to create new services.   

After these two platforms featured in theTech4Good Marketplace are introduced, virtual attendees will split up into breakout groups to discuss prompts regarding their opinions of the Marketplace in their local communities, how it can influence policy making and encourage innovation, and how they believe the European Commission could encourage and support start-ups to use the Tech4Good Marketplace to develop more local solutions like Consultation Platform and Open Data Terrassa.  

Registration for the workshop is currently open here. The ICC looks forward to hearing the thoughts shared at the event.