In the 5th round of the Smart City Challenge, the search is on for two breakthrough solutions tackling some of the most pressing urban challenges. The selected pilot projects will focus on scalable, high-impact innovations that improve quality of life while helping cities become smarter, happier and more resilient.

Each pilot will receive up to €840,000 in funding and is expected to combine interdisciplinary expertise, demonstrate strong commercial potential, and involve international collaboration, bringing together at least one Estonian city and city from another country.

Following a competitive process with 18 qualified applications, five standout finalists have been selected to move forward.

Five finalists have been selected, discover what they are working on! 

Digital Traffic Layer for Autonomy

Solution lead(s): prof. Raivo Sell, prof. Mauro Bellone

Urban challenge, cities and solution proposals 

Focused on the future of mobility, this project aims to create a machine-readable infrastructure layer that allows autonomous vehicles to safely interact with real-world urban environments.

By converting complex and fragmented traffic data into a standardized, real-time digital interface, the solution addresses one of the key bottlenecks in autonomous mobility deployment. Planned pilots in Tartu (Estonia) and Zhytomyr (Ukraine) will test its real-world applicability in diverse urban contexts.

Safe and Attractive Cycling Infrastructure

Solution lead(s): prof. Mairo Leier

Urban challenge, cities and solution proposals 

This platform supports cities in building safer and more inclusive cycling networks. Using image-based analysis, it assesses infrastructure risk levels, identifies high-risk areas, and helps prioritize interventions.

Beyond diagnostics, it also simulates future scenarios, allowing cities to evaluate planned improvements and optimize network design. With pilot cities ranging from Tartu to Barcelona and Istanbul, the solution aligns closely with Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs) and broader mobility strategies.

What Happens Next?

The finalists now enter a co-creation and development phase, working closely with cities and experts from the FinEst Centre:

• April 8, 2026 – information seminar for all finalists
• April to August – teams collaborate to develop full pilot proposals, action plans, and budgets while validating real-world needs
• May 13 – business development training led by Lauri Antalainen
• August 21 – deadline for full pilot submissions
• September – final evaluation of proposals
• November 1, 2026 – launch of two selected pilot projects (running until October 31, 2028)

With only two pilots to be selected, the next phase will be decisive. Regardless of the outcome, these innovations signal a clear direction towards safer, more sustainable, and resilient cities.

The implementation of pilot projects is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research through the project “FinEst Targa Linna tippkeskuse piloodiprogramm“.