BE PART OF THE LARGEST SMART CITY INVESTMENT EVENT
Finals live from
Barcelona, 3-5 November 2026
Designed for Value Creation
60+ start-ups tackling city and utility challenges through innovative digital solutions ➡ 6 pitching finalists.
Mentorship from industry leaders and top-tier VCs, offering real-world insight.
Jury of leading VCs focused on smart cities and ready to invest.
€50k GRANT distributed to selected startups.
€50k GRANT distributed to selected startups.
In Their Words
SPONSOR '24
SPONSOR
'24
"Kurrant did a truly tremendous job. Evaluating over 40 start ups, short listing them to a final line up and being on the pitch judging panel has given us deep insight in the Smart City ecosystem."
Ralph Varcoe
Chief Growth Officer
Connexin
SPONSOR '24
SPONSOR
'24
"Aligned with Kurrant's values, we sponsored The Smart Deal, fostering innovation and partnering with two promising startups now set to pilot their solutions in our Innovation Lab."
Abdulrahman Ibrahim
Chief Innovation Officer
Al-Madinah Region Development
Authority
VC '24
VC
'24
"The Smart Deal at the Smart City Expo in Barcelona is more than just a competition – it's a platform for innovation, collaboration, and shaping the future of our cities."
Pascal Stürchler
CEO & Co-Founder
Bloomhaus Ventures
SPONSOR '24
SPONSOR
'24
"The Smart Deal was a great way to discover and connect with very interesting smart city scale-ups, and highlight Schréder as an enabler in the startup and innovation ecosystem."
Werner De Wolf
Advisory Board - M&A Strategy
Schréder
VC '24
VC
'24
"Serving on the Jury of The Smart Deal was a valuable experience for Demeter, offering a clear view of the latest trends and innovations in the smart city sector."
Thomas Beaugendre
Investment Director
Demeter
STARTUP '24
STARTUP
'24
"The Smart Deal was an enriching experience that helped us grow and reach the next level. The visibility provided by The Smart Deal enabled us to conclude new partnerships."
Maxime Shacht
Co-founder & CEO
VizioSense
STARTUP '24
STARTUP
'24
"Participating in The Smart Deal was a transformative experience. The recognition offered by the €30,000 grant received and the collaboration with Schreder are incredible motivators for our team."
Morane Rey-Huet
Co-founder & CEO
Meersens
STARTUP '24
STARTUP
'24
"The Smart Deal competition provided an excellent opportunity to gain valuable exposure and receive actionable feedback from investors and industry experts."
Auste Pranckute
Co-founder & CEO
Stuart Energy
Finale live from the world's largest and most influential smart city event
Gain exclusive access to the smart city innovation ecosystem
th Edition
Visitors
Exhibitors
Speakers
Cities
A Unique Digital Tool
Network with startups and leading investors driving the digitalization of cities & utilities
Explore curated profiles: Ready-to-connect startups and investors with key information & materials
Direct outreach: Connect with interesting startups and investors to start collaborating
Engage your team: Track & manage your watchlist as a team with a collaborative tool.
Display your profile: Let potential matches understand your priorities and objectives
Ongoing activity: Stay connected all year long through events, workshops & a startups news feed
Partners Who Shaped the Smart Deal
Target Startups
Eligible Startups
- Contribute to cities' and utilities' digitalisation and sustainability
- Revenue < €5M
- Stage: Seed, Series A
- Offer innovative solutions and/or business model
- First clients signed
8 Verticals Covered
🏆 Past Finalists
Pitch Format
Morane Rey-Huet Co-founder of Meersens Winner of a €30,000 Grant
Two Pitch Sessions
2 hours each
15 min per Startup
5 minutes presentation
10 minutes Q&A
Deal Reveal at The Innovation Agora
With sponsors and VCs announcing grant awards, pilot programs, partnerships, and investment interests.
Two
Pitch Sessions
2 hours each
15 min
per Startup
5 minutes presentation
10 minutes Q&A
Deal Reveal at
The Innovation Agora
With sponsors and VCs announcing grant awards, pilot programs, partnerships, and investment interests.
The Smart Deal Agenda
1 Qualification Phase
The Smart Deal begins accepting applications from startups.
- Who: Target startups working on innovative solutions for cities and utilities
- What: Official opening of applications
Final day to submit applications.
- Who: Target startups
- What: Submit application form
- Who: Kurrant
- What: Qualification based on:
- Innovative solution and/or business model
- First clients signed
- Incorporated after 2017
- Revenue below €5M
- Stage: Seed, Series A
2 Selection Phase
- Who: Jury & Kurrant
- What: Scoring based on the following criteria:
- Team profile
- Customer Pain and Need
- Market size
- Technology and innovation
- Business model
- Competitive positioning
- BP hypotheses and projections
- Strategic fit
- Who: Jury & Kurrant
- What: Selection of 8 startups to pitch
- Criteria:
- Growth and scalability
- Valuation and equity offered
- Partnerships
- Funding requested
- Board seat potential
- Vertical diversity
3 The Event
- Who:
- Finalist startups
- Jury & Kurrant
- General Audience
- What: Filmed startup pitches and Q&A
- Location: Innovation Playground Agora Powered by Kurrant
- Who: Startups, Jury & General Audience
- What: Official announcement of:
- Non-dilutive grant
- Investment Expression of Interest
- POC/Pilot announcement
- Commercial deals and partnerships
- Location: Innovation Playground Agora Powered by Kurrant
Replay The Smart Deal '25
Why Sponsor?
Gain exclusive access to the smart city innovation ecosystem
Innovation Watch
Stay ahead of market trends with curated insights on emerging technologies, disruptive business models, and breakthrough solutions transforming smart cities and utilities.
Startup Sourcing
Access 100+ pre-vetted startups through our dedicated digital platform featuring curated profiles, direct outreach, team watchlists, and year-round innovation scouting.
Visibility
Position your brand as an innovation leader at Europe's largest smart city event with featured placement across event marketing, video content and social media.
Networking
Join jury panels, mentorship sessions, and exclusive networking with founders, VCs, and 25,000+ industry professionals shaping the future of smart cities.
Sponsorship Package
-
Early access to candidate start-ups' founders and presentation material
-
Seat at Jury evaluating the start-ups and granting the awards (grant, investment, pilot, ...)
-
Logo appearance at Innovation Area, pitch stage & media related to the event*
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On-stage address during the award ceremony at the Innovation Area Agora
-
Marketing exposure in pre- and post-event content, showcasing thought leadership.
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Invitation to The Smart Deal Dinner and all other related networking event
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Free SCEWC Investor Pass**
* Company description and link to website when applicable / possible
** If SCEWC'26 organizers include this type of pass in the next edition.
Ready to Join the Ecosystem?
Join the startup, investors and industry leaders shaping the cities and utilities of tomorrow.