Future of Cities

Join us for Future of Cities: Powering Urban Innovation Through Cross-Border Collaboration, the official launch event of the EARTH Innovation Alliance (E5) Eureka Co-Innovation Call for R&D Projects on Sustainable Cities, bringing together visionaries and funders to explore how technology and R&D partnerships can shape the cities of tomorrow.

This webinar is hosted by the EARTH Innovation Alliance (E5), a pioneering initiative by a select group of leading innovation agencies to accelerate the development, scale-up and implementation of breakthrough climate technologies. The E5 currently comprises of 5 members: Austrian Research Promotion Agency, Business Finland, Enterprise Singapore, Israel Innovation Authority and Vinnova.

As one of four thematic working groups, EARTH.Cities is focused on driving carbon-neutral urban innovation by fostering cross-sector and cross-country co-innovation between public and private stakeholders in the E5 member countries.

Why cities? While cities cover only 3% of the Earth’s land surface, they are home to more than half the global population, consume 78% of the world’s primary energy, and generate over 70% of global carbon emissions. By 2050, 68% of humanity will live in cities, driving increased energy demand, infrastructure strain, and carbon output. A 2020 study by the Weizmann Institute of Science found that the mass of human-made materials (buildings, roads, and infrastructure) now exceeds all living biomass on Earth — a stark illustration of the scale and impact of urban development. Urban innovation is essential to the global fight against climate change — and a strategic priority for the EARTH Alliance.

What to expect?

The first half of the event will feature inspiring speakers and forward-thinking perspectives on the future of urban living and the critical role of technology in shaping more liveable, sustainable, and resilient cities.
The second half will dive into the details of the E5 EUREKA Call for Proposals, including eligibility criteria, timelines, thematic priorities, and upcoming matchmaking and support opportunities.
This call is open to organisations in Austria, Finland, Israel, Singapore, and Sweden working on collaborative R&D in areas such as:

• Advanced materials for the built environment
• Renewable energy and grid innovation
• Urban mobility and EV infrastructure
• Circularity and sustainable construction

Come discover how to co-innovate, co-fund, and scale your urban tech solutions globally!