The Madrid municipality repeats in the global top 7 of the Intelligent Community Forum, alongside cities from Brazil, the Netherlands, Turkey, the USA, Canada, and Taiwan.
The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) has included Las Rozas among the seven smartest cities of 2026, a recognition that places the Madrid municipality in the global elite of urban innovation. The announcement was made during the ICF International Congress in Maastricht (Netherlands) and at its headquarters in New York.
A living laboratory of urban solutions
The ICF highlights that Las Rozas has become a reference centre for innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe. Through Las Rozas Innova, the public innovation company, the municipality has promoted projects in mobility, energy, digital education, and artificial intelligence, transforming into a living laboratory of solutions for smart cities.
The combination of public-private partnerships and a culture of experimentation has allowed for the construction of a dynamic ecosystem that helps shape the digital future. According to the ICF, this model is key to developing more connected and inclusive communities.
The other six smart cities of the year
Alongside Las Rozas, the other smart communities of 2026 are: Assaí (Paraná, Brazil), Brightlands-Limburg (Netherlands), the Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa (Turkey), Hilliard (Ohio, USA), Kingston (Ontario, Canada), and Yunlin County (Taiwan). All of them are finalists in the ICF 2026 awards program.
One of these seven will succeed the Intelligent Community of the Year 2025 —the Durham Region (Ontario, Canada)— at the ICF Global Summit, which will be held in October in the Columbus Region, Ohio (USA).
International recognition for Las Rozas
The mayor of Las Rozas, José de la Uz, has valued the recognition: “It reinforces the municipality's international positioning strategy, based on technological innovation, sustainability, and economic development.” From the City Council and Las Rozas Innova, he assures that they are working to build a more connected, inclusive city that is prepared for future challenges.
The councillor for Environment and City Services, Jaime Santamarta, participated in the Maastricht congress in a panel on collaborative spaces to accelerate innovation. There, they explored how communities can design innovation centres and living laboratories that bring stakeholders together.
For the residents of Las Rozas, this recognition represents a boost to the municipality's digital transformation, with projects that improve mobility, energy efficiency, and public services. The city aspires to become a European benchmark in urban quality of life thanks to technology.
The ICF has been awarding communities for over two decades that use information and communication technologies to promote economic and social development. Las Rozas had already been recognized in previous editions, consolidating its trajectory as a top-level smart city.
The next event will be in October, when it will be revealed which city will take the title of Intelligent Community of the Year 2026. Until then, Las Rozas enjoys a spot in the global showcase of urban innovation.
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