• Four pilot projects have tested innovative solutions in artificial intelligence, accessibility, internal technical support and content generation in real-world municipal environments
• The GovTech programme led by València Innovation Capital is strengthening a public innovation model that connects the public administration with startups to test new technologies in the city and improve the efficiency of public services.
• The initiative continues with new projects in key areas such as sport, cultural heritage and the environment, reinforcing València’s commitment to becoming a more innovative and sustainable city.

Valencia City Council, through València Innovation Capital, has completed the implementation phase of four pilot projects under its GovTech programme, a public innovation initiative that brings together startups and the public administration to develop technological solutions capable of addressing real urban challenges.

Developed in collaboration with a range of municipal departments, the projects have enabled the validation of new tools designed to improve public administration, streamline internal processes and deliver better services to citizens.

Paula Llobet, Councillor for Tourism, Innovation and Investment Attraction, said: “The GovTech programme enables Valencia to act as an urban innovation laboratory where innovative companies can develop and test solutions in real-world environments, helping us identify new tools to deliver public services that are more efficient, accessible and better suited to citizens’ needs.”

The four completed pilots form part of the programme’s first cycle, which remains active with several additional projects currently under development.

Artificial intelligence to streamline grant management

One of the pilot projects evaluated a digital platform developed by the startup 4i to simplify the management of municipal grants by automating administrative tasks and using artificial intelligence to support document review and assessment processes.

The solution demonstrated its ability to validate documentation and assist in prioritising applications, improving the traceability of case files while supporting the technical work of municipal staff.

Technology to improve accessible parking management

Another completed pilot was developed by Solmes in collaboration with the City Intelligence and Data Management Service (SCIGD) to improve the management of parking spaces reserved for people with reduced mobility.

The solution was tested in several areas of the city and provides real-time information on parking space availability, verifies authorised use through digital identification, and facilitates incident management. The pilot involved users selected in collaboration with organisations such as the Spanish Confederation of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities (COCEMFE). It received positive feedback and demonstrated the technology’s potential to improve accessibility while optimising municipal management.

An intelligent assistant for internal IT support

Working with Valencia City Council’s Information and Communication Technologies Service (SerTIC), the startup Foqum Analytics developed an AI-powered conversational assistant to support the resolution of IT issues reported by municipal employees.

The tool proved capable of autonomously resolving a significant proportion of the most common queries, automatically generating support tickets and assisting with incident classification, helping to reduce the operational workload of technical support teams.

New tools for institutional content creation

The fourth pilot, developed by Etiqmedia in collaboration with València Innovation Capital, explored the use of artificial intelligence to support the production of institutional communication content.

The project assessed the potential of these technologies for creating audiovisual materials and digital content linked to innovation projects, while also identifying the requirements for their possible integration into public administration workflows.

Public innovation to transform the city

València Innovation Capital’s GovTech programme aims to bring innovation into the day-to-day operation of public administration by fostering collaboration with startups and technology companies.

Following the completion of this phase, Valencia City Council will carry out a detailed evaluation of the results of the four pilot projects to assess their feasibility, scalability and potential integration into municipal services.

Among the projects currently under way is ALERTES IV, an application developed to improve real-time communication between the Fire Service and residents during emergencies involving buildings with more than ten storeys or over 100 dwellings. The tool enables alerts, recommendations and evacuation routes to be sent directly to affected residents and will be tested during the summer.

Other GovTech initiatives include a challenge focused on monitoring water inflows into l’Albufera, aimed at improving knowledge and management of this protected natural area through advanced measurement and data visualisation systems, and the “Més que unes Torres” project, an accessible cultural interpretation centre that will make the heritage of the Serranos Towers more accessible to people with different abilities through immersive technologies.

The experience gained through these pilot projects will help further strengthen a public innovation model based on experimentation, public-private collaboration and evidence-based decision-making, while additional GovTech initiatives continue to be developed.