Spain
José Luis Martínez-Almeida
3,200,000 (2016)
Eloy Cuellar
Anticipate and manage future challenges
Improve service delivery
Simplify administrative procedures for firms and residents
Generate new sources of revenue
Dedicated innovation team
Leadership from Mayor
Culture of innovation in city
Support from outside city administration
As part of efforts to promote innovation, Madrid has launched a digital platform designed to promote citizen participation in the management of municipal affairs. In addition to the online arena, the city has also created physical spaces to develop collaborative entrepreneurship; to facilitate open innovation among start-ups and big companies; and to promote innovative, disruptive, creative and collaborative attitudes among citizens. Recently, the city also launched a new project “Madrid Escucha” (Madrid Listening Project) where citizens and civil servants can design public services together.
Note: The City Innovation Snapshot (PDF version) was produced in 2019 and some aggregate findings have been updated with the latest survey results below.
Along with 50% of cities surveyed, Madrid has an explicit innovation strategy. Similar to 24% of cities surveyed, Madrid approaches innovation capacity in specific policy areas/domains.
Madrid’s innovation work is sprinkled throughout the municipal administration including the general directorates of citizen participation, innovation and promotion of the city, and media lab center.
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
Its innovation activities also include developing new solutions based on digital technologies and facilitating organizational change within the municipal administration.
Like 81% of cities surveyed, Madrid has dedicated funding to support innovation capacity.
The city also operates innovation labs as well as hosting trainings and events for design thinking and citizen engagement.
Madrid has developed partnerships to promote its innovation capacity with other public agencies, private firms, not-for-profit organizations, and city residents/resident associations. In particular, the city council has set up areas available for innovators where they can propose and prototype their ideas, in close cooperation with experts and citizens.
To improve data use, the city has also developed data partnerships with NGOs/foundations, academia, think tanks to collect and analyze data, as well as with other cities.