Smart City Exchange Forum 2025: Shaping Cities with Data, AI & Smart Governance

The event's date is: 13.03.2025

Location: Hybrid: PROTO room Pantera (Peetri 10, Tallinn) & Online

Join us on March 13, 2025, at the PROTO Invention Factory in Tallinn (or online) for the Smart City Exchange Forum 2025.

Explore how data, AI, and smart governance frameworks are transforming urban environments into sustainable, people-centered spaces. Network with municipal leaders, researchers, and tech providers, and gain actionable insights into real-world strategies for shaping resilient cities.

The day will be moderated by Silver Tambur, experienced journalist and currently the Chief Editor of Trialoog portal at Tallinn University of Technology.

View agenda below!

Registration is now closed, but you can still join the event via our live stream HERE!

The event will be hosted in English.

Why attend?

The Smart City Exchange Forum is a must-attend event for anyone passionate about urban transformation. Learn from data, AI and smart governance experts, focus on real-world cases, and build valuable connections with leaders in research, governance, and technology.

With insights tailored to municipal leaders and urban developers, this forum will help you tackle today’s challenges with practical strategies for tomorrow.

What to expect?

There is often a gap between smart governance theory and its practical implementation. At this forum, we aim to bridge that divide by exploring how data, AI, and practical governance frameworks can drive resilient, people-centered urban transformation.

Key highlights include:

Exploring partnerships and multi-stakeholder collaborations to balance competing urban interests.
Panels on governing emerging urban technologies and leveraging new regulations for innovation.
Actionable lessons from researchers and city leaders to inspire smarter, more connected cities.

How to attend?

Onsite: Engage directly with speakers and make the most of networking opportunities with other participants in Tallinn, at wonderful PROTO Invention Factory.

Online: Join virtually and enjoy convenient access to all sessions, especially suited for international attendees. A link will be sent to registered online participants a few days before the Forum.

Registration is now closed, but you can still join the event via our live stream HERE!

To make your stay in Tallinn during the Smart City Exchange Forum even more comfortable, Radisson Collection Hotel and Palace Hotel Tallinn offer special accommodation prices for the period March 12 – March 14, 2025. See the offer.

Schedule

9.30–10.00

Morning refreshments & registration

10.00–10.15

Welcoming words

Jevgeni Ossinovski
Mayor of Tallinn

10.15–10.45

Keynote: Governance in times of change and uncertainty: Dynamic Capabilities in the Public Sector

The UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, is developing the Public Sector Capabilities Index, the first global measure of city governments’ capacity to address complex challenges. This initiative focuses on assessing dynamic capabilities within public sectors, such as engaging residents through innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and leveraging data infrastructure and digital platforms. By identifying areas where municipal capabilities are strong or need enhancement, the Index aims to guide city leaders and funding entities in making informed decisions to bolster public sector skills.

Rainer Kattel
Deputy Director and Professor of Innovation and Public Governance
University College London

10.45–11.15

Governance Challenges in Energy Transition

Energy Transition debate is much about new technologies to be introduced and managed, but it changes also the energy policy governance in governmental and municipal level. How to address these challenges?

Einari Kisel
Professor of Practice on Energy Policies
FinEst Centre for Smart Cities

Multi-stakeholder Collaboration in Smart Mobility

Smart mobility isn’t just about technology – it’s about collaboration. Cities, businesses, researchers and citizens must work together to create effective mobility solutions. This presentation explores how multi-stakeholder partnerships shape smart mobility and the key role of data in fostering cooperation.

Anniki Puura
Postdoctoral Researcher
FinEst Centre for Smart Cities

11.15–12.15

Panel: Regulatory Sandbox and the Real World–Is a Win-Win Situation Possible?

We’ll explore successful case studies and best practices in governance, addressing practical challenges and controversial points. How to overcome or mitigate competing interests? Are there successful cases on multi-stakeholder collaboration through shared governance? When and in which scenarios can regulatory sandboxing be useful? What are the pros and cons of regulatory sandboxing? Who could potentially benefit from it in Estonia and how?

Intro to the topic:

Egert Juuse
Programme Director of Public Sector Innovation, eGovernance & Technology Governance
Tallinn University of Technology

Moderator:

Jarmo Eskelinen
Senior Advisor, Founder
Aalto University, FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, CityCraft

Panelists:

Egert Juuse
Programme Director of Public Sector Innovation, eGovernance & Technology Governance
Tallinn University of Technology

Greta Elva-Jõemaa
Head of Public Policy & Innovation
Accelerate Estonia

Helena Lepp
Director of Service Transformation
Digital Nation

Tomaž Lanišek
Head of Unit for Development and Smart Community
City of Kranj, Slovenia

12.15–13.30

Lunch & networking

13.30–14.05

Fireside chat: How to Govern a Citiverse?

Virtual Worlds are also entering urban sphere. Short interventions and dialogue between experts to discuss opportunities, challenges as well as provide practical insights what to take into account in future developments

Alessandro Paciaroni
Public sector innovation expert
Lisbon Council

Anu Masso
Tenured associate professor of big data in social sciences
Tallinn University of Technology, Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance

14.05–14.30

Data Sovereignty in Times of Turbulence

In an era of geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological advancements, data sovereignty has become a critical concern for cities. This talk will explore how cities can safeguard their digital infrastructure, ensure local control over data, and maintain digital autonomy in an interconnected world.

Luukas Kristjan Ilves
Advisor to the Ukrainian Digital Minister, former CIO of Estonian Government

14.30–15.20

Panel: Regulation and Innovation–Friends or Foes?

The EU is introducing new regulations around Data, AI, and Tech, and while Europe is known for its strong regulatory approach, there are concerns that these rules may stifle innovation. Finding the right balance between regulation and encouraging technological progress is essential to avoid hindering growth in the digital economy.

Moderator:

Sille Sepp
Head of Urban Data Ecosystems
FinEst Centre for Smart Cities

Panelist:

Silver Kelk
Head Of (Business/Innovation) Development
Ülemiste City

Rainer Kattel
Deputy Director and Professor of Innovation and Public Governance
University College London

Stina Avvo
Chief Legal Officer (IT law)
Republic of Estonia Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs

Margot Roose
Deputy Mayor
City of Tallinn, Estonia

15.20–15.45

Coffee break & networking

15.45–16.20

Entrepreneur’s perspective: Designing Hundipea neighbourhood

Modern planning and designing methods can bring a new level of quality to urban spaces. Cities and neighbourhoods that are shaped based on research, data and smart city tools are likely to be welcoming to all of its users – residents and visitors, people and wildlife.

Mari-Liis Kell
Head of Greentech
Hundipea

16.20–16.30

Closing remarks

Ralf-Martin Soe
Founding Director
FinEst Centre for Smart Cities

16.30–18.30

Networking hours

Time to continue discussions, exchange ideas, and build valuable connections in a relaxed setting!

Speakers and moderators

Silver Tambur

Moderator

Chief Editor of Trialoog portal
Tallinn University of Technology

Jevgeni Ossinovski

Mayor of Tallinn

Prof. Rainer Kattel

Professor of Innovation and Public Governance

Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, University College London

Luukas Kristjan Ilves

Advisor to the Ukrainian Digital Minister
Former CIO of Estonian Government

Jarmo Eskelinen

Senior Advisor, Founder

Aalto University, FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, CityCraft

Margot Roose

Deputy Mayor

City of Tallinn, Estonia

Tomaž Lanišek

Head of Unit for Development and Smart Community

City of Kranj, Slovenia

Helena Lepp

Director of Service Transformation

Digital Nation

Alessandro Paciaroni

Public Sector Innovation and Digital Government Expert

The Lisbon Council

Greta Elva-Jõemaa

Head of Public Policy & Innovation

Accelerate Estonia

Mari-Liis Kell

Head of Greentech

Hundipea