Kyiv authorities support projects that are generated and created within the framework of SmartHub. Gennadiy Plis, the first deputy head of the KMDA, announced this during a meeting with Vilnius Mayor Remigius Šimašius and representatives of the Kyiv Smart City initiative.
"Our function here as authorities is to support and help in the implementation of these projects. In particular, Kyiv Smart City projects," Gennadiy Plis emphasized.
Denys Gurskyi, the founder of the NGO IT-volunteers "Social Boost" and the founder of the 1991 Open Data Incubator, is convinced: "Our city projects will very soon become an integral part of Kyiv's digital infrastructure. These projects will be created in close contact with Kyiv Smart City and the capital authorities, whose representatives will become mentors and provide access to the internal infrastructure of the authorities. We are sure that this will not only develop cooperation between the state and the private sector, but will also change the very approach to the development of urban projects aimed at improving the lives of Kyivans."
Yaroslava Boyko, co-coordinator of the Kyiv Smart City initiative, shares the same opinion: "It is important for Kyivans to understand that the initiative should come, first of all, from you and from your desire to change something around you. You are residents of the city. And now is a unique moment when you have all the tools and opportunities in your hands to influence the life of Kyiv. The main thing is your desire."
The mayor of the Lithuanian capital shared the experience of implementing smart technologies in Vilnius and explained exactly how open data is used in the city's digital infrastructure. According to him, the city is qualitatively changing thanks to these innovations.
"We are very pleased that Kyiv was able to make so many positive changes and implement a large number of smart solutions in just one year. It is very good that city data is gradually being opened. After all, it is important to understand that the government should not and cannot hide anything. This is the life of the city and all these things should be absolutely transparent and open to the public. Then activists and innovators will have the opportunity to create those solutions and services that will even better connect city residents and those who manage the city. Which is the key to successful and harmonious development," said Vilnius Mayor Remigius Šimašius.
The goal of Kyiv Smart City Hub is to inspire and consolidate leaders and agents of change, increasing the "social capital" of the capital. And provide them with maximum opportunities for the implementation of city projects. And cooperation with 1991 Open Data Incubator is a new stage of their implementation.
The 1991 Open Data Incubator branch within the Hub will unite exactly those city projects based on open data, which, in the future, will be part of the updated "digital" Kyiv. At the moment, the selection of residents of the incubation program is ongoing (you can submit your project at the link http://1991.vc/programs/), which ends on June 12. And in a few weeks after the end of the selection, the selected teams will work on their projects on the territory of the Hub. Having received access to city data, support of city authorities and all conditions for effective work.
But you need to understand that to participate in the program, the finalists will need to pay an organizational fee of 10 hryvnias. So far, the organizers of the Hub are not able to compensate these funds.
According to the organizers, "these funds are needed for a 3-month stay in the hub to cover administrative costs (provision of coffee and tea, security, utility payments, administration and cleaning of the hub). While in the program, startups get free access to all events that take place at the Kyiv Smart City school, lectures and receive individual consultations from more than 42 mentors, support from the community of investors, graduates of the 1991 incubator and donors, and the opportunity to integrate their project into the system work of KMDA on private terms -state partnership".
Yuriy Nazarov, co-coordinator of the Kyiv Smart City initiative: "We are already creating a document that will enable developers to correctly form a request for access to open data of the city. But which will explain how they can be used. And we will tell and explain to the general public exactly which data the city can disclose and which cannot. And what the citizens of Kyiv can actually learn from this data, using those electronic services that are already created and working within the framework of the Kyiv Smart City initiative."
We remind you that the Hub was created by the community for the community. All costs for its construction (about 1 million hryvnias) were collected with the help of crowdfunding, both on the international Indiegogo platform and among the active Kyiv community. In total, 124 people supported the project, and 58 of them became "citizens" - stakeholders and jointly make decisions regarding the development of Kyiv Smart City Hub and the activities that take place within it. And this is the first time that such a structure is managed collegially.
