Newcastle engaging start-ups in smart city push

The City of Newcastle has launched a pilot involving working with start-ups to help fulfil Newcastle’s smart city ambitions.

The City has launched the Catapult trial project, which seeks to harness the potential of start-ups to transform the city with innovative technologies and smart infrastructure.

Catapult is part of the $13 million Smart Move Newcastle project, which is being co-funded through the federal government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs program.

The start-up participants in the Catapult trial are creative lighting company Luna and online mapping platform start-up Accessibility in the City.

As part of its participation in the trial, Luna will test a new multicoloured light display at Newcastle’s Civic Park from 6–10 May during the Hunter Innovation Festival.

Meanwhile the Accessibility in the City mapping platform will launch later this year, and will offer users with disabilities information about where to locate accessible features — such as disabled parking and toilets — and help them navigate busy, cluttered and visually oriented environments.

“The City has been working hard with our stakeholders over a number of years to establish Newcastle and the Hunter as an internationally recognised centre for technology innovation,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.

“Cities around the world are facing the challenge of improving livability for their residents while reducing resource consumption, and the companies selected as part of this trial will to help us tackle these challenges head on ... The Catapult program is one of the many ways that we are delivering on our strategy and our vision to be a smart, livable and sustainable global city.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/chones

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