Mayor of London outlines vision of London as ‘Smart City’

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has outlined his plans for London to become the world’s leading ‘Smart City’ – with digital technology and data at the heart of making the capital an even better place to live, work and invest.

Speaking at the launch of London Tech Week, Mr Khan said technology is vital to solving many of the biggest economic, social and environmental challenges the UK faces. He urged the global tech community to help tackle issues such air pollution, housing and the future of transport.

As part of his plans, the Mayor has unveiled a new £1.6M Clean Tech Incubator called Better Futures, which will help 100 London-based small businesses to deliver low-carbon and clean-tech products to tackle the causes and effects of climate change.

Better Futures will help kick start the development of a clean-tech cluster for London, developing a hub for low-carbon industries in the capital.

The Mayor wants to see the capital become the leading global city in the use of smart technologies and data to improve public services and city life.

In his speech to London’s tech community, Mr Khan reaffirmed his pledge to appoint London’s first Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Recruitment has now begun to find the new CDO who will work with the Mayor’s Office, the Mayor’s Smart London Board, local authorities and the technology sector to drive the development of smart city technologies and to build London’s reputation as the city that the world looks to for leadership in urban innovation.

The Mayor’s Office is also currently scoping the potential for a new London Office of Technology and Innovation to provide a place where London’s boroughs can come together to share best practice, build collaboration and drive solutions to the challenges they face.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “As Mayor of this great city – the best city in the world – it fills me with pride to see our tech sector thriving. New technologies are having an enormous impact on our way of life – reshaping our societies, our economies and our culture.

“My ambition now is to harness the new technologies that are being pioneered right here to transform London into the world’s leading smart city.

“The potential for cutting-edge technology to tackle a host of social, economic and environmental challenges is immeasurable.  From air pollution and climate change to housing and transport, new technologies and data science will be at the heart of the long-term solutions to urban challenges.”

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