European Committee of the Regions organized the conference„Think Smart, Think Regional...Let's Innovate!“ on 27th Januray 2016. in Brussels.
The increasing move towards a digital economy yields many benefits for Europe, including increased competitiveness, labour mobility, employment opportunities, and opening new fields for business. However, to what extent are local governments willing to utilise youth as a resource, and use their solutions as part of regional digital development policies? What role can young people play in innovating their regions and cities?
The event brought together young people, local authorities and the young entrepreneurs for an interactive discussion on two key issues: Young Entrepreneurs and Local and Regional Authorities: new paths of cooperation? Young Generation and Smart Cities: how can big data drive innovation?
The speakers together with the participants discussed an added value of start-ups to local and regional communities and the barriers that young entrepreneurs face in their regions and cities. What is a 'Smart City' and how can we use big data to drive innovation? These and other related issues was the crucial topic of the conference.