The smart city concept provides a framework for a vision of modern urban development. Of particular importance to this is the information and communication technology (ICT) as the initiator of economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and living in general. With the ICT’s help, smart cities accelerate economic growth, improve the way of life of citizens, open opportunities for the urban development, implement environmental sustainability initiatives, improve decision-making processes, and ensure access to advanced financial services, etc.
Some of the key indicators are turning to innovation, increasing productivity, efficient use of resources, and high added value in products and services that we can use to compete with in an increasingly complex global market. Such an approach will bring new investments and jobs, and it will as well encourage innovation. However, the primary prerequisite for the smart city development is the establishment of a platform for interconnection of all stakeholders in innovation-based development, not only in technological but also in organizational terms.
From the above stated emerges a vision: CEKOM for smart cities is positioned as a leading institution in the Republic of Croatia and the wider region for the development and application of smart technologies in cities.