Harvard honours Aveiro with an award in the innovation area
The Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard has distinguished the City of Aveiro, at the 3rd Annual City Innovation and Innovator Awards, with the 2020 Innovation in Community Engagement Award Europe in recognition for The Establishment of Aveiro Tech City and their development of industry collaboration and innovation.
The Aveiro Tech City strategy, which has the Aveiro Steam City as backbone, underpins its initiatives based on clear benefits to citizens. This perspective allows to raise citizens’ awareness to the importance of technology and data collection in the efficient management of cities and in the digital transformation of companies, particularly in SMEs. This award reinforces the vision that, in the future, especially in a post-Covid era, it is essential to continuously invest in:
- Training the local youth communities in STEAM skills, digital literacy and 21st century skills (teamwork, resilience, problem solving);
- Promotion of institutional collaboration for common objectives, aligning strategies and visions between local actors;
- Supporting the local economy towards market’s changes and the rethinking of their business models (in particular small and micro companies);
- Promoting Urban Revitalization to create Public Spaces that promotes the well-being of our citizens (more spaces for leisure and socializing, more spaces for walking and physical exercise and more cycle paths).
It is with great pride and great satisfaction that we receive this distinction from one of the most reputable institutions in the world. This award also brings us the certainty that we are managing to position the City of Aveiro at the forefront of technological development, providing projects that actually help people in their day-to-day lives, making Aveiro a better city to live in and to visit
José Ribau Esteves, Mayor of Aveiro (CMA)
The award was presented to the community by city's Mayor in a press conference, held on the 18th march 2021. This was also a good opportunity to conduct a preliminary assessment of the Aveiro Steam City and its achievements within the first two years of the project, and to roll out the objectives for the last year of the project.
Jobs and skills in the local economy
