Cities in Brazil, Canada, Spain, Türkiye and the USA become finalists for Intelligent Community of the Year Award

(17 June 2025 – New York, NY, USA & Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain) – At a festive, sold-out Awards dinner tonight, the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) named the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2025. The announcement was made at the conclusion of the Top7 Conference hosted by Las Rozas de Madrid – a two-time Smart21 Community in ICF’s Awards program – and its mayor, Jose de la Uz.

The seven cities become finalists in ICF’s annual Awards program. One will succeed 2024 Intelligent Community of the Year Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil in December at the ICF Global Summit (www.icfsummit.com) in Binh Duong Smart City, Vietnam. Curitiba was in attendance in Spain for the program.

The conference earlier in the day featured panel discussions and presentations on community leadership, privacy, environmental sustainability, entrepreneurship, innovation, urban mobility and safety, and was a dialogue and networking event that helped guide Spanish and other communities toward growth and stability in the digital age. Click here to see a full conference program.

In alphabetical order, the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2025 are:

• Assaí, Paraná, Brazil
• Bursa Metropolitan Municipality, Türkiye
• Durham Region, Ontario, Canada
• Fairfield/Jefferson County, Iowa, USA
• Hilliard, Ohio, USA
• Kingston, Ontario, Canada
• Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain

New and Repeat Performances
The list includes four previous Top7 Intelligent Communities: Assaí, Durham Region, Hilliard, and Kingston. Fairfield/Jefferson County, Iowa and Las Rozas de Madrid had been named Smart21 Communities for multiple years in a row and finally went to the next level. Bursa Metropolitan Municipality is making its debut in the Awards program as Intelligent Community. Bursa Metropolitan Municipality and Las Rozas de Madrid are the first communities in Türkiye and Spain to be named to the Top7.

One of ICF’s founders, Louis A. Zacharilla was on hand to preside over the announcement and said, “Take a careful and close look at these seven diverse places from across the world. They are a look at the bright future dozens of cities are experiencing as they put in place programs that go beyond their initial stage of technology investments and transform them into economic engines that are attracting talent, leveraging their financial and educational system and leading the way as Intelligent Communities.”

As exceptional examples of economic, social, and cultural community development in the digital age, the Top7 Intelligent Communities of 2025 will be featured prominently throughout the ICF Global Summit in Binh Duong Smart City this December. The program will feature in-depth discussions with representatives of the Top7 and an intimate Awards Reception with ample time for networking before one of them is named the Intelligent Community of the Year 2025 at the Intelligent Community Awards Dinner.

The following are snapshots of this year’s Top7 Intelligent Communities. Complete profiles and data can be found online on ICF’s Website.

Assaí in the state of Paraná, Brazil makes its second consecutive appearance as a Top7 Intelligent Community this year. Founded in 1920 by Japanese immigrants, Assaí originally prospered as the “white gold capital” of cotton production. But as agricultural production shifted elsewhere, the city diversified its economy and developed a workforce ready for new industries. In 2022, it enacted a strategic plan to attract investment from multinational companies, leading to partnerships with over 90 firms and making Assaí the first CityLab in Brazil. These partnerships led to high-quality fiber and wireless connectivity, which powered another initiative called City Points SUNFLOWER. This program rewards users with cashback and retail discounts that encourage citizens to recycle, use renewable energy, and vaccinate against diseases. The same idea has been applied to education through “gamification” which motivates students and prepares their community for the future.

Bursa Metropolitan Municipality in Türkiye makes its debut as a Top7 Intelligent Community in 2025, the first ever Top7 in its country. Nestled in the northwest of Türkiye, Bursa stands as a city where the echoes of history harmonize with the rhythms of modernity. By deploying citywide free Wi-Fi, real-time surveillance systems, smart lighting, and interactive urban furniture, Bursa has significantly enhanced digital connectivity and public services. The city has built a powerful innovation ecosystem through initiatives like the B-CUBE Smart City and Innovation Centre and the Bursa Model Factory, which foster entrepreneurship, technological advancement, and Industry 4.0 adoption. Bursa also champions inclusive governance through participatory programs such as the “Mayor is Here” initiative and the Strategic Plan Survey, ensuring that residents actively shape the city’s future.

The Durham Region in Ontario, Canada makes its fourth consecutive appearance as a Top7 Intelligent Community in 2025. This regional municipality provides shared services and program coordination to eight local governments in Ontario, Canada – a diverse group with economic sectors ranging from agriculture to automotive manufacturing and clean energy. It has completed the first phase of Project Genesis, a 700-kilometer fiber network targeting more than 1,800 households in underserved rural areas. A regional program is helping hundreds of low-income families every year access Canada’s financial assistance programs for post-secondary education. Senior citizen centers provide low-cost tech training to thousands of older residents. In March, it made headlines with the successful delivery of the third generation of the CityROVER A.I. system, which was developed by Visual Defence in collaboration with the Durham Region and the Ontario Government. Durham Region’s use of CityROVER A.I. for pothole detection is just one of the many examples of its Intelligent Community practices.

Fairfield/Jefferson County in Iowa, USA makes its debut as a Top7 Intelligent Community this year. Once known primarily for its spiritual roots, Fairfield/Jefferson County has evolved into a dynamic hub dubbed “Silicorn Valley,” boasting nearly six times more small businesses per 100 people than the average for US cities. Its widespread broadband adoption, supported by local ISPs and federal grants, connects over 90% of households and is expanding into surrounding rural areas. The city has made a strong commitment to talent development through initiatives like the Portrait of a Graduate program and involvement in multiple programs at Maharishi International University, whose top-five-ranked computer science program draws global talent. Fairfield fosters startups through CoLab and supports established firms via the FEDA Business Park, while also investing in quality of life through arts venues, nonprofit childcare, and green energy leadership, including one of the nation’s most advanced solar power systems.

Hilliard in the state of Ohio, USA makes its third straight appearance as a Top7 Intelligent Community in 2025. This city of 38,000 in the metropolitan region of Columbus is a model of small-city innovation and growth on a technology foundation. In just a few years, its municipal dark-fiber network has attracted many service providers, while connecting companies, schools, and city buildings, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. Its partnership with Amazon Web Services brings technology and business education into schools, while the city and its partners have launched more than a dozen apprenticeship programs in technology, healthcare, and IT. The Hilliard City Lab is guiding high-tech companies to prototype new technologies, including an automated drone network to support first responders, which NASA, the US Air Force, and other government agencies expect to become a national template. In May, the city opened an A.I. Sandbox, allowing Hilliard businesses to test artificial intelligence concepts and products without exhausting their budgets. The city’s achievements have not gone unnoticed - in March, Hilliard was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Economic Development Companies for 2025.

Kingston in Ontario, Canada makes its return to the Top7 Intelligent Communities after having been named to the list in 2014. Kingston has evolved from its historic role as Canada’s first capital and a key military post into a thriving hub of innovation, sustainability, and cultural vitality. Strategically located at the meeting point of major waterways and within reach of major cities, the city leverages its rich heritage, vibrant arts scene, and one of the nation’s most educated workforces to build a dynamic, future-ready economy. Home to Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College, and leading research institutions, Kingston fosters the commercialization of green technologies and life sciences while supporting a burgeoning startup ecosystem ranked Canada’s best among small cities. With investments in open-access broadband, cleantech, and cultural development through the Kingston Culture Plan, the city has also prioritized inclusivity, sustainability, and quality of life. Kingston’s Integrated Economic Development Strategy focuses on sustainable manufacturing, health innovation, and creative industries, transforming the city into a resilient, connected, and forward-thinking community.

Las Rozas de Madrid makes its debut as a Top7 Intelligent Community in 2025 and as the first ever Spanish community to be named to the list. Las Rozas has leveraged its high-income, business-friendly environment and strategic proximity to Madrid to foster innovation, sustainability, and inclusive digital transformation. Through Las Rozas Inova, the city has developed a dynamic innovation ecosystem that supports startups, public-private technology pilots, and the digital evolution of local businesses. Its multi-level workforce development strategy equips residents with advanced digital and entrepreneurial skills, while programs like Emprende and municipal bootcamps create real employment pathways. Near-total broadband adoption has allowed the city to deploy smart commercial Wi-Fi zones and data-driven promotional tools, with a special focus on supporting pandemic-impacted retailers. With initiatives like carbon-reducing rideshare programs, automated waste collection, solar-powered buildings, and smart irrigation, Las Rozas is pairing economic dynamism with sustainable urban living – proving that even communities in a capital region can innovate boldly on their own terms.

About the Intelligent Community Forum
Starting in 2000 with a research project comparing cities in various nations, the Intelligent Community Forum (www.intelligentcommunity.org) created a unique, data-driven approach to development that puts citizens first while tapping the enormous economic and social potential of technology. In a world dominated by digital, ICF’s mission is to help communities create innovative, sustainable and growing economies, inclusive societies and affirming cultures open to the world. We do it for communities large and small – in urban clusters, outlying suburbs and rural places – through training, consulting, assessment, certification and award programs. ICF believes that digital connectivity and technology create the opportunity for almost every community to develop a dynamic local economy and the social and cultural strengths that go with it – giving them all a chance to be great places to live, work, learn, grow, raise a family and prepare a sustainable path for the next generation.

The Forum sponsors Institutes in North America and Taiwan dedicated to the study of the movement, and national organizations in Canada and Taiwan, both home to many Intelligent Communities. In 2012 ICF was invited to participate at the Nobel Peace Prize conference in Oslo and in 2014, its model and work were recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which, according to the American government, was “aimed at creating a more flexible and responsive system of workforce development to meet the needs of employers looking to fill 21st century jobs.”

For more details on the Intelligent Community Forum’s programs and publications, go to www.intelligentcommunity.org.

Intelligent Community Forum Contacts
Matthew Owen, Executive Director, Intelligent Community Forum
Phone: 001-646-291-6166 x105
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Newcommunities

Victoria Krisman, Communications Manager, Intelligent Community Forum
Email: [email protected]