On the path to a more sustainable and seamlessly connected world, technology experts, entrepreneurs and local governments alike are seeking innovative solutions to tackle the most pressing issues facing urban areas – from congestion and pollution to waste management and recycling.

Smart cities, which utilize the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and artificial intelligence, among other technologies, to tackle these and other municipal issues, are fast becoming a reality, making our cities greener, safer and more efficient.

Successfully reimagining and optimizing every aspect of a city’s operations requires a wide variety of tech solutions. This includes automated mobility solutions, construction technology and green applications, to name just a few – and these, the Startup Nation has in spades.

There are currently more than 250 smart city companies operating in Israel, according to NGO Start-Up Nation Central. Here are just a handful of Israeli startups building a smarter future:

  • Powered by AI, ZenCity collects and analyzes data from millions of interactions between city residents and their municipalities, through sources including social media and telephone hotlines. It then transforms this data into actionable insights which city managers can use to better meet the needs and expectations of their citizens. Founded in 2015, this startup is working with municipalities throughout Israel and the US to enhance the standard of living in their cities.
  • In the mobility sphere, Mobi (Mobility Insight) has been developing innovative solutions for transport network management since 2013. Using AI, predictive simulations and IoT with connected-vehicle technology, Mobi enables policy makers and transport officials to analyze current and predicted traffic levels to help regulate movement and prevent jams.
  • GreenQ provides smart solutions to improve the efficiency of waste management, which will in turn improve the quality of life in urban areas. Founded in 2015, the company has developed technology that monitors the weight, capacity, time and location of garbage trucks, analyzes the data, and generates useful insights, to enable municipalities to optimize their waste collection processes.

Israel is at the forefront of the smart cities movement, not only exporting its home-grown innovations around the world but also utilizing them to transform its own urban areas. For example, the country’s transport solutions are enhancing its existing resources to cut down carbon emissions. Meanwhile, initiatives like the Digi-Tel project aim to foster stronger relationships between citizens and their municipalities.

As the cities of the future begin to come to life today, Israeli innovation will be at their heart.