Dr. Claudio Longo

Vice President Research & Advanced Engineering Software and Central Technologies

Dr. Claudio Longo, born in Kassel, Germany, on March 25th, 1978, is a seasoned leader in automotive innovation. His academic journey led him to earn a diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Materials, and Design Engineering in 2004, followed by a distinguished PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kassel. At Continental AG, Dr. Longo's career has been marked by progressive roles, from contributing to the Business Unit Engine Systems Productline High Pressure Pump to becoming the Head of Platform Development for Wheel Speed Sensors in the Business Unit Passive Safety and Sensorics. His visionary leadership continued as Director of R&D Segment Speed and Director of R&D Segment Sensors and Subsystems in the same unit. In 2022, Dr. Longo assumed the pivotal role of Vice President Research & Advanced Engineering Software and Central Technologies at Continental Automotive, where he continues to shape the future of mobility technologies through innovation and strategic leadership. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Driving the Future: From Real to Cloud, From Virtual to Real - The Journey of an AI-Empowered Company 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: TBA

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Dr. Christian von Albrichsfeld

Country Head Continental Romania,

General Manager

Christian von Albrichsfeld graduated at the Technical University in Darmstadt, Germany in 1992 and received a doctoral degree in robotics and artificial intelligence from the same University in 1997. In the same year he joined the technology company Continental, being today one of the most important suppliers for the automotive industry worldwide, where he worked in research projects and in the technical management for innovative automotive systems. Since 2009 he is the General Manager of Continental Automotive Romania, representing also as Country Head Continental in Romania, coordinating its activities with currently more than 17.500 employees in Timisoara, Sibiu, Nadab, Carei and Iasi at national level. At the same time, he is the manager for Research and Development. In 2012 he received the title of Honorary Professor of the Politehnica University of Timisoara. He is Vice President of the German Economic Club Banat, Vice President of the Executive Board of the Politehnica University of Timisoara, and Vice President of the German-Romanian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. 2018 he was awarded CEO of the Year by Automotive Today and The Diplomat. He is permanently engaged in the collaboration between economic and educational institutions, a collaboration which not only has a scientific component, reflected in research and development but also an institutional one for improving the educational academic system and its adaptation to global standards. His commitment to education has also extended to the undergraduate level, being one of the initiators for reintroducing vocational schools in Romania, a project in which Continental is a partner of the pilot classes in Timisoara, Carei, Brasov and Sibiu, being also member of the German-Romanian Steering Committee for dual professional education. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Opening speech Smart City Stage

Gina Aspelin Hedbring

Project Manager @ Smart City Sweden and Head of International Projects @ IVL The Swedish environmental research institute

Gina is the Manager of the Swedish collaboration Platform Smart City Sweden. For several years she has been meeting and discussing with ministers, governmental agencies, companies and other organizations about the challenges and opportunities in building smart cities, and about, what is actually a smart city? The aim of the platform is to showcase best practices and inspire collaboration and they has welcomed more then 6000 visitors from +100 countries the last 4 year, all with the aim of creating more Sustainable Smart cities. The platform is operating a network all over Sweden as well as internationally. In addition, Gina is leading a group of consultants working on sustainable solutions for society, all over the world. Previously, Gina has worked as a management consultant within the utility sector as well +10 year within the area of IT and Telecommunication, in the Nordics as well as in Africa and South America. As a member of the G100: Smart City Wing she collaborates with likeminded all over the world and more importantly she regularly speaks and have intense dialouges with students from all over the world. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: How a banana peel makes a difference in the Smart City 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Smart Cities has been on the top of the agenda for many years, now the term and ambition needs to be revisited. What is actually needed to create a smart city? Where should the focus be and why is the city still so important? This presentation will not give you any answers, only more questions. This session will investigate some alternative ideas of a smart city, and touch upon the question, where does the city start and end? In the end, is about people, courage and leadership.

Sampo Ruoppila

Urban Policy Advisor

Dr. Sampo Ruoppila is Urban Policy Advisor at UrbanistAI, a product that has brought user-friendly application of visual AI to the field of participatory planning. Sampo contributes to the development of the participation concepts in different use cases within the core team. He is also the Research Director of Urban Studies at the University of Turku, Finland, and leads a joint urban research programme between the City of Turku and the universities, which aims to increase the knowledge base for urban development and the impact of academic urban research. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: How AI is transforming public participation in urban planning 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: The perspectives of residents and other stakeholders are needed to improve public spaces. However, to date, participation methods have not enabled lay people to propose explicitly understandable design solutions or suggestions. This is changing with UrbanistAI, a product that empowers people without architecture or design training to do so. Using photographs of streetscapes and the like, the programme allows users to describe, or choose from numerous pre-selected categories, how they would like to change the place, and the AI creates different versions in seconds. The different versions of the tool can be used for workshops, ideation or crowdsourcing ideas from a large number of people. Please note: The audience at GoTech will have the opportunity to try out the lite version of UrbanistAI with their mobile devices. To do this, please take photos (and have them on your phone) of a street, square or any other type of public space you would like to improve, before coming to the session. You can also register as a user in advance at https://app.urbanistai.com/signup/GOTECH.

Steve Severance

Director of Growth

Steve Severance oversees numerous projects that balance sustainability and economic requirements, guaranteeing each project meets sustainability, revenue, cost, and schedule targets. Severance also leads the development of the technology lines of business, including district cooling, mobility, and smart city initiatives. He develops new business models, execution of strategies, and partnerships with leading global companies to implement technology requirements. He has 20 years of experience in project and program management, strategy consulting, financial analysis, and economic development in the United States, Moldova, and the Middle East. Severance holds a Master of Business Administration from San Jose State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cedarville University in the United States. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: How cities can provide a pathway to net-zero 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Countries around the world are committing to achieving net-zero by 2050. Cities, as leading contributors to carbon emissions, have a vital role to play—and Masdar City, a smart, sustainable city in Abu Dhabi, is a prime case study. They have been pioneering sustainable urban development for more than 15 years, creating a “green-print” for cities that want to be part of the solution to climate change. Their approach, while tailored to the region’s unique needs, is applicable worldwide: City planners and developers need to work in tandem with their environment, tailoring master plans to local challenges and resources and making sustainability a primary goal rather than a premium add-on. They also need to work collaboratively across sectors to challenge perceptions of what is possible.

MEET OUR SPEAKERS

The Future of Smart City is discussed in the Smart City & Mobility Stage [9 NOV]. Get ahead by discovering innovative approaches to reshape urban environments, from Green Planning to the digital transformation of governance, and shaping the cities of tomorrow.

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Valentina Frângu

Corporate and Public Sector Lead

Valentina Frangu is Public Sector Lead at Dell Technologies and oversees Dell's customer relationship management. With over 25 years of experience in sales, business development, and technical consultancy, Valentina is focused on generating opportunities in the public sector and is a promoter of Smart City and IoT initiatives. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Digital Cities of the Future. Built Today. 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Technology is powering transformation in urban environments around the world. From circular economies built around sustainable energy consumption, to seamless engagement between community and government, discover the possibilities of tomorrow’s digital cities, today.

Deniss – Bogdan Onofrei-Riza

Head of Forensics Laboratory, The National Institute for Research & Development in Informatics

Deniss - Bogdan ONOFREI-RIZA – is a Specialist in Information Technology and Communications within the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics. He has held numerous managerial positions in various private, state, academic and research-development organizational environments. He has accomplished multifaceted tasks in various research and development projects in the field of IT & C, with expertise in information security and communications technology, auditor at both computer network and application level (desktop + mobile), physical security systems, SQL databases and NOSQL. Complementary he has performed highly complex activities such as IT & C Auditor, developer, or troubleshooter for desktop applications (various operating systems). He is an „ethical hacker“ specialist with advanced knowledge of digital forensics, being a trainer in advanced digital forensics. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Driving Innovation Through Digital Transformation 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: We all know that famous quote that “making mistakes is as human as possible”. Therefore, being human, it is impossible to create flawless digital transformation in one attempt, especially reflected in the effort of software/hardware developers. The only way organizations can truly achieve perfection is through an iterative process of trying again and again or reflecting their needs into digital transformation and implementation processes. This presentation provides an overview of how digitalization is fundamentally changing the way organizations operate and deliver value. We will discuss / present digital products that encapsulate best practices for leveraging digital technologies to enable innovation, enhance customer experiences, increase efficiency, and gain competitive advantage. Through case studies and examples, this session reflects a practical perspective aimed towards digital transformation solutions custom developed (4NSK Dev).

Cosmin Popa

Founder & CEO

With over 25 years of experience, Cosmin Popa has harnessed technology to drive creative solutions. Starting as a software development specialist, he evolved into a business analyst, software architect, leading innovative software teams. By founding Ingenios, the impact of his work was more focused on developing dedicated technical projects in advertising, public administration, mobility or E-Health. Acquiring extensive experience alongside his high-performing team, has equipped him with the capacity to comprehend applied concepts like Artificial Intelligence Analysis and Algorithms over Data Warehousing Management, especially on Smart City concepts. 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Counting the Reasons to Understand the City 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Explore the changing landscape of urban advertising and the influence of data-driven insights. The presentation delves into a spectrum of topics, from the evolving dynamics of advertising in urban spaces to the pivotal role of quantification of mobility KPIs in Smart Cities. Discover some simple methods of quantification, including the utilization of computer vision or data provided by public transport and grasp how these insights have the potential to improve pricing strategies. Unveil the possibilities of innovative scenarios in outdoor advertising and how they seamlessly integrate with the digital domain. This session provides a comprehensive overview of the ever-evolving urban advertising terrain, offering valuable insights for industry professionals and urban enthusiasts interested in smart geospatial interaction in the City. Don't miss the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of these critical topics and their impact on our urban environments

Eduard Dumitrașcu

President

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: Eduard Dumitrașcu - a leader in the field of smart cities and president of the Romanian Association for Smart City, stands as a driving force behind Romania's dedicated smart city ecosystem. With a clear vision and an unwavering spirit, he has, over the past seven years, transformed a scarcely discussed topic into a national phenomenon, bringing together the brightest experts and creating valuable tools for administration. A staunch advocate for education, Eduard serves as an associate professor at the National School of Political Studies and Public Administration and a lecturer at the National Administration Institute. He has made significant contributions to specialized literature, co-authoring the book "Smart Cities: From Idea to Implementation". With a distinct affinity for collaboration, he initiated a partnership with ASRO to adopt the international ISO standards for sustainable urban development. The founder of Smart City Magazine, Smart City Caravan, and Smart City Academy, Eduard is also the driving force behind the annual Smart City Industry Awards that gathers the leaders of smart cities. Recently, he launched impactful initiatives like the City Air air quality monitoring program and the first certification for companies in the Smart City sector.

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