On 27 March 2025, the Smart Cities Marketplace joined a high-level matchmaking event in Barcelona hosted by Scalable Cities. The event focused on deploying innovative legal and financial strategies to unlock private investment in climate transition projects.
Held at Ca L’Alier, the event brought together city leaders, public and private finance experts, and EU-funded initiatives to share strategies, explore funding solutions, and connect over shared goals.
The Smart Cities Marketplace participated to promote its Technical Assistance (TA) services and foster collaboration with fellow EC-funded projects. Through bilateral discussions with city representatives from Palma de Mallorca, Winterthur, Vilnius, and Mannheim, interest was expressed in using SCM’s support to enhance project preparation and investment readiness.
City presentations showcased a wide range of innovative approaches—from Barcelona’s need for financing across energy, mobility, and waste systems to Dijon’s strategic partnership model for infrastructure investment. Expert sessions explored how cities can structure investment plans that attract private capital and how public administrations can better align with investor expectations.
The event underscored the growing importance of structured, investor-ready urban projects and the value of collaboration across cities, investors, and EU support initiatives.