As the smart city world gathered in Barcelona for Smart City Expo World Congress 2025, Curiosity Lab and the City of Peachtree Corners proudly represented the innovation, collaboration and sustainability that define our growing ecosystem. From meaningful panel conversations to international startup wins, this year’s event was a standout — and our strongest presence at SCEWC to date.
Real World Testing Exhibition
This year, we welcomed over 10 of our ecosystem partners to showcase their cutting-edge technology right inside our booth. Our large booth presence made this all possible and gave the over 27,000 attendees of the conference, a look into how a living laboratory is shaping the future of smart city technology evolution. Thank you to our amazing partners and members including T-Mobile, BizzTech, Cyber 2.0, UPCITI, Urbanhawk, The Black Arcs, Digi, La Vitre, Geotab and nfoldROI.
We were pleased to see attendees not only learn more about each company but also be able to see it in action through interactive model’s various companies showcased. It was a great week of highlighting how our ecosystem is continuing to be at the forefront of innovation! Thank you again to our amazing partners and we’re excited to see you join us next year!
Cross-Border Collaboration on Display
Throughout the week, Curiosity Lab leadership helped shape the global conversation around partnerships and smart city growth.
- Peachtree Corners Deputy City Manager Seth Yurman joined international voices on the panel “Collaborative Futures: Partnerships Driving Smart City Innovation,” where leaders from living labs around the world explored how public-private collaboration is accelerating transformation across borders. Panelists included Jennifer Sanders (North Texas Innovation Alliance), Dr. Timo Kero (AstaZero), Tero Kyckling (Business Tampere), and Clara Soler Bañuelos (CENIT), each bringing forward powerful case studies, replicable blueprints for cities of all sizes, and insights on building smart city ecosystems that scale.
- Curiosity Lab Managing Director Valerie Chang also joined the “Texas and Georgia Leadership Insights” panel alongside Jeremiah Anderson (Frisco EDC), Michael Kowski (McKinney EDC), Jennifer Sanders (North Texas Innovation Alliance), David Steele (Plug and Play Frisco), and John Rohrer (AMSYS). The discussion covered how state-level leadership and local investment strategies are working hand-in-hand to accelerate innovation and build sustainable, future-ready communities.
One of the biggest takeaways from this year’s panels is that cross-border partnerships, whether on a regional or global scale, are driving innovation and technological creativity. This has been an integral part of Curiosity Lab and how it is shaping its ecosystem through its current and future collaborations. We were excited to share our insight and continue building long-standing partnerships that will advance this space!
Omniflow Wins the Global Startup Challenge
After a successful debut last year, the Second Annual Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge returned to the world stage in partnership with the North Texas Innovation Alliance, Plug and Play, and Texas cities, Frisco and McKinney. This year’s winner, Omniflow, is a Portugal-based company delivering carbon-neutral smart IoT applications powered by wind and solar. Their technology transforms traditional infrastructure like streetlights and benches into multifunctional, off-grid smart assets — enabling cities to support a variety of connected applications while reducing environmental impact.
As the 2025 winner, Omniflow will receive piloting and funding opportunities in the United States, helping them bring their innovative solutions to market through real-world deployment. We’re proud to continue supporting the bridge between international innovation and scalable U.S. smart city impact.
Sustainability Certified: Our Most Eco-Conscious Booth Yet
This year also marked a new milestone in our commitment to sustainability. The Curiosity Lab Pavilion at SCEWC 2025 was officially recognized as a “Sustainable Event” by Eventsost, thanks to our use of environmentally responsible materials and construction.
The Pavilion was built using the EcoBlok construction system, and graphics were printed on honeycomb board, eliminating the use of PVC vinyls. The use of eco-conscious materials resulted in a forward-thinking booth design that reflected the very technologies and values we champion at Curiosity Lab.
We’re proud that our physical presence aligned with the mission of a smarter, greener future – not just through the innovations we showcased, but in how we exhibited.
Momentum Moving Forward
Beyond panels and awards, SCEWC 2025 was a springboard for the next phase of growth at Curiosity Lab. The team made valuable connections across the globe, including new startups interested in our Innovation Center as both a landing pad into the US and a launchpad into global markets. The conversations we started in Barcelona are already sparking next steps for testing, collaboration and deployment here at Peachtree Corners.
We’re grateful to our partners, ecosystem members, and global collaborators who joined us in Barcelona. The future is here, and we’re proud to help shape it, one connection at a time.
