Technology
Brussels Funds 2024 Smart City Grants for Local Tech Projects
The City of Brussels supports data-driven initiatives through annual grants and projects launched under its 2023 strategy.
How we reported this
The City of Brussels launched its Smart City strategy in March 2023, setting out a roadmap of over 50 projects to 2030 across seven policy areas and five fundamental pillars. This framework directly engages local tech and startup activity through targeted funding calls and named initiatives that require data and digital tools.
2024 Grant Call for Data Initiatives
The 2024 edition titled Data Driven Smart City offers up to €80,000 in total grants, with a maximum of €50,000 per project. These funds target data-driven smart initiatives, providing concrete support for tech teams and startups working on city challenges in areas such as climate and mobility.
Named Projects Underway
Completed and ongoing efforts include the Response energy-positive neighborhoods initiative, the Twin4Resilience digital twin project, and the bAIcycle app that classifies bike path conditions through citizen science. Each project relies on data collection and digital platforms, creating opportunities for local developers and data specialists to contribute and test solutions.
Traffic Management Investment Details
A €50 million five-year investment covers smart traffic management tools including adaptive lights and real-time parking sensors. The program targets a 15 percent reduction in commute times and a 20 percent cut in CO2 emissions by 2026, supplying measurable benchmarks that tech providers can address through sensor networks and analytics.
Additional goals within the seven focus areas include expanding protected bike lanes by 50 km by 2025 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. These targets shape the scope of future calls for projects and encourage continued participation from the local tech scene in delivering the required digital components.
City-supported annual project calls remain the primary mechanism for new entrants. Teams interested in the next round can review current project pages on the official smart city site to align proposals with the established pillars and policy areas.