Ireland
Hazel Chu
554,554 (2016)
Jamie Cudden
Improve service delivery
Anticipate and manage future challenges
Save costs and improve efficiency within the public sector
Dedicated funding
Dedicated innovation team
Leadership from the Dublin City Chief Executive
In partnership with Enterprise Ireland, Dublin has engaged in a number of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) challenges—a mechanism that enables the city to connect with technology businesses in search of innovative solutions to city challenges. The initiative has awarded 42 innovation contracts and over €1.5 million funding to startups and SMEs. One of the SBIR projects, See.Sense, developed a bike light using sensor technology that gathers data on road surface quality, most frequently used routes and near-miss incidents in order to improve the cycling experience in Dublin. The project is currently in its second trial, collecting more data from additional participants and helping to inform the city’s decision-making on new cycling infrastructure plans.
Along with 50% of cities surveyed, Dublin does not have an explicit innovation strategy. Similar to 24% of cities surveyed, Dublin approaches innovation capacity in specific policy areas/domains.
Dublin has established a number of Smart Districts across the region, providing businesses with testbeds to trial and test scalable solutions in a real life environment. The city launched its first 5G testbed in the docklands area, has worked with companies and citizens to collect better data on cycling in the city which can impact on decision making processes. The city works with universities to help research alternative solutions like nature based interventions to prevent flooding. Dublin also works with larger companies like MasterCard to gain better economic insights to highlight how the city is doing.
Situated in the City Manager’s office, Dublin’s Smart City team is currently building an Innovation Network with approximately 300 members across the organization so that staff members from different departments can effectively share their experiences and knowledge.
Taking risks or testing new ideas
Data-driven analytics/public data management
Engaging residents in new ways
Developing new solutions based on digital technologies
Organizational change within the municipality
Human-centered design
Rethinking your city’s approach to financing partnerships
Like 81% of cities surveyed, Dublin has dedicated funding to support innovation capacity.
Dublin’s funding for innovation capacity is generally used for organizing staff engagement workshops, supporting pilots and staff's ideas, highlighting innovative projects currently happening within the council and securing additional funding opportunities. Similar to 61% of participating cities in the 2020 survey, Dublin's funding for innovation capacity is also directed towards training staff and building capacity*.
*"Training staff and building capacity" is not an option in the 2018 survey, while "Launching or sustaining a project" is not an option in the 2020 survey.
Dublin has developed partnerships to promote innovation capacity with other public agencies, private firms, and not-for-profit organizations.
To improve data use, the city has also developed data partnerships with the private sector, private philanthropy, academia and think tanks, to collect and analyze data, as well as with other cities.