The Intelligent Community Forum has included Las Rozas among the seven smartest cities in the world in 2026, highlighting its innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The Madrid municipality of Las Rozas has been designated for the second consecutive year as one of the seven smartest communities on the planet, according to the ranking by the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). The international organization has particularly valued the work of Las Rozas Innova, the municipal company that acts as a laboratory for urban solutions in mobility, energy, digital education, and artificial intelligence.
A recognition that places Las Rozas in the elite of innovation
In its statement, the City Council emphasized that the ICF considers Las Rozas “one of the main centers of innovation and entrepreneurship in Europe.” The award, which is granted annually, recognizes those communities that use technology to improve the quality of life of their citizens and promote sustainable economic development.
The mayor, José de la Uz, stated that this recognition “reinforces the municipality's international positioning strategy, based on technological innovation, sustainability, and economic development.” The mayor recalled that the commitment to digitalization and public-private collaboration are pillars of the city model promoted by the City Council.
Las Rozas competes with cities from around the world
In this edition, Las Rozas shares the list with Assaí (Brazil), Brightlands-Limburg (Netherlands), the Metropolitan Municipality of Bursa (Turkey), Hilliard, Ohio (United States), Kingston, Ontario (Canada), and Yunlin County (Taiwan). All of them are finalists for the Smart Community of the Year 2026 award, which will be decided in October during the ICF's global summit in Columbus, Ohio.
The announcement of the finalists was made during the ICF International Congress held in Maastricht (Netherlands), where the councillor for Environment and City Services, Jaime Santamarta, participated in a panel on collaboration spaces to accelerate innovation. Santamarta explained how Las Rozas has designed innovation centers and living labs that allow for “moving from conception to implementation” of new ideas.
What does this mean for the residents of Las Rozas?
For residents, this recognition translates into concrete projects that improve their daily lives. Las Rozas Innova has promoted initiatives such as the smart city platform that optimizes public lighting, waste management, and traffic, as well as digital education programs in schools and senior centers. The City Council plans to continue expanding these solutions, with special attention to artificial intelligence applied to municipal services.
Moreover, the international projection attracts investments and talent, generating quality employment in the municipality. According to municipal data, the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Las Rozas encompasses more than 300 startups and tech companies, many of which are located in the Las Rozas Business Park.
“Its strong public-private alliances and culture of experimentation have allowed for the construction of a dynamic innovation ecosystem and shaped the digital future,” highlights the ICF in its report.
The next appointment will be in October, when it will be known whether Las Rozas succeeds the Durham region (Canada) as Smart Community of the Year. In the meantime, residents can continue to benefit from the improvements already underway, such as the citizen app that centralizes procedures and notifications, or the air quality sensors installed at various points in the urban area.
The City Council has encouraged citizens to participate in the upcoming open innovation days that will be held at the Las Rozas Innovation Centre, where new pilot projects will be presented.
You may also like
