Presented at the Smart City Summit & Expo 2024, “Smart Cities and Intelligent Communities” will bring together the Intelligent Community Forum, its ICF Institute in Taiwan and the national ICF Taiwan organization for a day of learning, debate and knowledge sharing. It will be attended by local and national government officials, technology executives and delegations from the US, Canada, Europe and the Pacific Rim.

At the conference, ICF will name its Smart21 Communities, selected through analysis of data on hundreds of cities, counties and regions. The Smart21 announcement will take place during the Smart City Summit and Expo in Taipei, Taiwan, which will be attended by an economic development mission of ICF member communities, including delegates from technology companies, universities and public-private accelerators. Led by ICF co-founder John Jung and executive director Matt Owen, the delegation will attend a full day of Smart City and Intelligent Community conference sessions developed by ICF, the ICF Institute in Taiwan and ICF Taiwan. Delegates will also attend the announcement of ICF’s Smart21 Communities of 2024. Along the way, they will visit science parks, companies and universities in multiple Taiwanese cities, including Hsinchu, home to TSMC, the world’s leading operator of semiconductor fabs, and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), one of the world’s leading research centers. With semiconductors becoming of increasing strategic importance, delegates will be exploring opportunities for investment, partnership and joint research.

Supported by:

The conference will feature the following panel discussions:

19 March

USA-Taiwan City Leader Conversation

15:35-16:10 | 1F ADI Pavilion Main Stage, SCSE Venue

This panel discussion brings together experts and stakeholders from the USA and Taiwan to explore the advancements, challenges, and opportunities in smart city development. Panelists will discuss Intelligent Taiwan and Intelligent Ohio, and will discuss how smart city technology impacts economic development and quality of life.

Speakers:

• Michael Caldwell, Mayor, City of Woodstock, Georgia, United States
• Douglas McCollough, President, DMC Group , Dublin, Ohio, USA
• David Meadows, Director of Economic Development, Hilliard, Ohio
• Arthur Wang, Co-Project Director, Smart City Project Office, Taiwan
• Matthew Owen, Executive Director, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator)

20 March

Europe - Taiwan City Leader Conversation

10:40-11:40 | Conference Room 701H, SCSE Venue

The "Europe-Taiwan City Leader Conversation" event seeks to foster dialogue between pioneering European cities in smart city development and local governments in Taiwan. It serves as a platform for exchanging local insights, best practices, and future visions, all with the aim of uncovering how technology and collaboration can forge smarter and more sustainable urban and rural living environments.

Speakers:

• Kuan-Chung Chen, Director of Smart Development Center, Tainan City Government
• Suvi Linden, Finnish Parliamentarian, Oulu, Finland
• Peter Portheine, Co-Founder, Eindhoven International Project Office (EIPO), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• Dr. Chao-Ming Wu, Chairperson of Smart City and Community Development Commission, Taoyuan City Government
• Matthew Owen, Executive Director, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator)

Investing in the Future: The Smart City as Catalyst

13:35-14:20 | Conference Room 701H, SCSE Venue

Not so long ago, digital technology was an afterthought in urban planning and municipal management. It has now emerged as a transformative force in these fields and a major contributor to business creation, economic growth, education, sustainability and the engagement of citizens in their communities. Panelists identify the critical investment attraction features of Smart Cities, the innovation opportunities they create and how individual cities and regions seek to exploit them.

Speakers:

• Jeff Graham, CEO, Rhyzome Networks, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
• Daniel Hengeveld, Vice President, Investment Attraction, Toronto Global, Toronto Canada
• Shu-ya Hsieh, Deputy Magistrate, Yunlin County Government
• Ed Jager, Canadian Trade Office in Taiwan (CTOT), Taiwan
• Peter Portheine, Co-Founder, Eindhoven International Project Office (EIPO), Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• Rob McCann, President, Clearcable, Hamilton, Ontario Canada (Moderator)

People Power: From Smart Cities to Intelligent Communities

14:20-15:05 | Conference Room 701H, SCSE Venue

Installing digital technology can make a city Smart. But it does not prepare people for careers in the new economy, or match talent to employment opportunities. It does not make housing affordable or help people make technology a productive part of their lives. It does not make businesses more innovative or produce prosperity that is widely shared among the population. These are what make a great place to live, work, launch a career, build a business and create a better future for the next generation. Panelists discuss the multiple factors that take a city from Smart to Intelligent and describe the strategies and projects they have employed to make it happen.

Speakers:

• Amy Ho,Commissioner, Economic Development Department, New Taipei City
  
• Suvi Linden, Finnish Parliamentarian, Oulu, Finland
• Mayor Martin Ritsma, Stratford, Ontario, Canada
• Alba Monteiro de Oliveira Gil, Councillor for Economy, Innovation and Employment, Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain
• Nancy Richison, Journalist and Author, Dublin, Ohio, USA
• Maggie Chao, ITRI (Moderator)

Technology Transformation for a Greener Future

15:15-16:00 | Conference Room 701H, SCSE Venue

The governments of the world agreed at the end of 2023 to begin a major transition from fossil fuels and accelerate the growth of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Agreement in principle, however, does not equal commitment, making it clearer than ever that technology innovation must be the chief driver of net zero and net negative achievement. Digital, electronic and other technologies will play a central role. Panelists describe how cities and regions are deploying technology solutions and stimulating the growth of innovative green industries, whose success will achieve climate goals while growing local and regional economies.

Speakers:

• Agustin Argelich, Argelich Networks, Barcelona, Spain
• Hugh Chow, CEO, ventureLAB, Markham, Ontario, Canada
• Pham Thuy Linh, Director of Becamex R&D Institute – Deputy director of Smart City Office, Binh Duong, Vietnam
• Douglas McCollough, President, DMC Group , Dublin, Ohio, USA (Moderator)

Prospering in the Digital Century

16:00-16:45 | Conference Room 701H, SCSE Venue

The year 2000 marked the start of the Digital Century. Technologies developed in the 1990s became immense commercial successes and transformed how we live, work, learn, create, interact and govern. To prosper in the Digital Century, cities and regions must balance being both digitally advanced and people-centered. They must train people for life and careers in an economy dominated by digital, while accelerating business innovation and reducing or reversing the emissions changing our planet for the worse. It is a complex task, and in this panel, leaders of Smart Cities and Intelligent Communities describe successful programs in these areas and offer insights into their development and lessons learned.

Speakers:

• Joani Gerber, CEO, Stratford Economic Enterprise Development Corporation, Stratford, Canada
• Cheryl Odee Helm, Helm Communications, Scugog, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
• Avinash Persaud, VP, Hardware Catalyst Initiative, ventureLAB
• Rodrigo Ruiz Ballesteros, Innovation and Project Coordinator of the Municipality of Queretaro
• James Yeh, Chung Hua University, ICF Institute in Taiwan
• Tiffany Lin, ITRI and ICF Taiwan (Moderator)

Best Practices using AI in Intelligent Communities

16:45-17:30 | Conference Room 701H, SCSE Venue

As the world progresses towards greater digital integration, the effective utilization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as a pivotal factor in shaping the future of smart cities and communities. This discussion seeks to explore the best practices, challenges, and opportunities associated with harnessing AI to foster innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity within communities worldwide.

Speakers:

• Michael Caldwell, Mayor, City of Woodstock, Georgia, United States
• Rob McCann, Director, Hamilton Technology Centre
  
• Alex Mihailidis, Associate Vice President for International Partnerships, University of Toronto, Toronto Canada
• LaRhonda W. Patrick, Mayor, City of Warner Robins, Georgia, United States
• Matthew Owen, Executive Director, Intelligent Community Forum (Moderator)

20 March - Smart21 Announcement - Grand Hilai Taipei Hotel

18:00 to 20:00 - 3F Platinum Ballroom A