{"id":19564,"date":"2024-12-23T06:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T06:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/?p=19564"},"modified":"2024-12-23T06:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T06:30:00","slug":"collaboration-and-reinvention-how-vilnius-become-a-mobility-innovation-hub","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/?p=19564","title":{"rendered":"Collaboration and reinvention: How Vilnius has become a mobility innovation hub"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Innovation in the mobility sector and a commitment to sustainability mean that the competition for a liveable Baltic capital, Vilnius currently enjoys pole position.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vilnius is currently a city going places, quite literally. Construction of a shiny new departures terminal at the Lithuanian capital\u2019s airport was completed earlier this year, with the facility set to open in February. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As charming as the old terminal was\u2014a throwback to very different times\u2014few will miss it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, mobility is currently one of the key buzzwords doing the rounds in the city, as it gently, with the minimum of fuss (such is the Lithuanian way), positions itself as a hub of innovation in the mobility sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/analysis\/vilnius-once-again-seen-as-the-most-business-friendly-city-in-cee-and-the-baltics\/\">Vilnius once again seen as the most business-friendly city in CEE and the Baltics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/analysis\/cees-eu-members-need-innovation-for-a-new-growth-model\/\">CEE\u2019s EU members need innovation for a new growth model<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/analysis\/once-considered-peripheral-cee-has-become-integral-to-the-eus-economic-wellbeing\/\">Once considered peripheral, CEE has become integral to the EU\u2019s economic wellbeing<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Both the city itself and the many start-ups and tech firms that call it home are contributing.&nbsp;Not for nothing was it recently <a href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/analysis\/vilnius-once-again-seen-as-the-most-business-friendly-city-in-cee-and-the-baltics\/\">named<\/a> the most business-friendly city in Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics by a panel of experts surveyed by Emerging Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/judu.lt\/en\/\">JUDU<\/a>, a municipal enterprise that deals with all kinds of transportation in Vilnius, taking care of coordination, ticketing, parking, and traffic management, the emphasis is always on innovation, says Justas Jasevi\u010diu, the organisation\u2019s manager of mobility services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are happy to be a sandbox,\u201d he adds. \u201cYou could say that Vilnius is like a huge playground, where the newest ideas, the newest tools are tested. We are a progressive city, a city that is expanding, and we want to be at the forefront of new technology.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Local policymakers have carefully balanced urban growth with measured investment in infrastructure. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than adding new lanes for more cars, Vilnius has focused on bus rapid transit corridors, park-and-ride schemes, and judicious parking restrictions. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These measures have not fully eradicated congestion, of course, but they have prevented Vilnius\u2019s streets from becoming as choked as those of its northern peers. In the competition for a liveable Baltic capital, Vilnius arguably enjoys pole position.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Carbon neutrality by 2030&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Much\u2014indeed if not all\u2014of the innovation taking place in Vilnius is designed to make the city one of the most sustainable in Europe. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are part of a network of 100 cities aiming to be carbon neutral by 2030,\u201d says Anton Nikitin, chief sustainability officer at Vilnius municipality.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lithuanian capital was selected as European Green Capital 2025 for its strong commitment to sustainability while having a realistic and down to earth approach.&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The city\u2019s motto for its European Green Capital title year sums up its attitude to sustainability, Vilnius &#8211; the greenest city in the making, and does suggest that there is work still to be done, something Nikitin recognises.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There has been a great deal of progress already, however. The city has successfully reduced emissions through various measures, such as increasing renewable energy sources and renovating heating infrastructure. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, Vilnius is focusing its strategy on an efficient and solid citizen engagement. The city says it wants to combine its sustainability efforts with the happiness of its residents, promoting initiatives concerning clean air and water, biodiversity preservation, green spaces, and sustainable transportation. It\u2019s all about making the city more liveable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even Vilnius\u2019 tech-oriented approach to citizen engagement and participation is innovative.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCitizens can use&nbsp;an app to engage with us in all relevant areas of transport management and planning,\u201d adds Nikitin, who also says that one of the city\u2019s strengths is that, &#8220;we are always looking into how we can implement positive changes as quickly as possible.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the city\u2019s key initiatives has been the extension of cycling infrastructure. In 2016, just 1.5 per cent of journeys were made by bike. It\u2019s now approaching five per cent, \u201cand every year the number of cyclists increases,\u201d says Nikitin.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The role of start-ups and tech firms&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Just as important as the city\u2019s initiatives however is the role that Vilnius\u2019s entrepreneurial scene has played in transforming the way people move. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lithuanian start-ups\u2014encouraged by a supportive tech ecosystem\u2014have introduced cutting-edge transport apps, car-sharing platforms and data-driven mobility solutions designed to ease congestion and shift travel habits. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By forging partnerships with the city government and tapping into a well-educated, tech-savvy population, these young firms help nudge more Vilnians onto smart mobility services. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is not merely a question of convenience; with every sleek app and smart ticketing platform, the city further ensures that the future of transport in Vilnius remains efficient, accessible and as traffic-free as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Initially a hardware firm, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stuart.energy\/\">Stuart Energy<\/a> is one of those start-ups making an impact. The firm now concentrates on a software and energy management system that enables simple, end-to-end electric vehicle charging experiences. Its software makes charging points more efficient, says Rokas Endziulis, product manager at Stuart Energy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn Kaunas [Lithuania\u2019s second largest city] our software has helped the occupation rate of charging points rise from three to 11 per cent,\u201d he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Endziulis himself is from Kaunas, but as he admits, Kaunas is a more industrial city. \u201cVilnius is where the innovation happens.\u201d As to whether it\u2019s a good place to locate a start-up, \u201cYes, is the simple answer,\u201d he adds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ignas Brazdauskas&nbsp;is CEO of <a href=\"https:\/\/spark.lt\/en\/\">Spark<\/a>, a Lithuanian start-up that offers an all-electric car-sharing service, providing urban dwellers with eco-friendly, on-demand mobility. Besides Lithuania, the firm is also active in Bulgaria.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through its intuitive mobile app, customers can locate, unlock and drive electric vehicles, helping reduce both traffic congestion and carbon emissions in Lithuania\u2019s cities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe currently have 60,000 registered customers,\u201d he says, adding that the city has been cooperative although he admits he would like to see more parking spots reserved exclusively for EVs. \u201cDespite the high prices, finding somewhere to park in the city centre can still be a challenge,\u201d he says, noting that EVs can, however, park for free.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sharing best practice&nbsp;<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to creating cleaner, more efficient transport networks, Vilnius\u2019 best practice is not a secret set of principles kept under lock and key. It is, instead, a living toolkit of policies, infrastructure designs, and innovative technologies that can be shared, studied, and adapted across borders.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, so successful has Vilnius been that it can now offer an entire manual of how to green transport in a city, an example of best practice other cities can follow.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was a collaborative work between city authorities, architects, urbanists, policy makers and so on,\u201d says JUDU\u2019s Justas Jasevi\u010diu. \u201cAnd we are now sharing it with our partner cities.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having witnessed first-hand just how successful Vilnius has been in its sustainability efforts, any city would do well to read it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Photo courtesy Go Vilnius.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\" id=\"block-cbcb00d7-ef4f-4114-be61-31d4f9f78a9a\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" id=\"block-03b1fbab-8795-44b0-9155-1e4b3e34d820\"><em>At Emerging Europe, we use an integrated approach centred around market intelligence to help organisations understand trends and strategically position themselves for success. &nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" id=\"block-77523305-48d5-4fee-9f36-164388078046\"><em>Learn how our solutions can help you thrive in the region:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\" id=\"block-7566ff06-f7c6-4d45-9c0d-f514a2babea3\"><em><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/our-story\/\" target=\"_blank\">Company and Services Overview<\/a> | <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/emerging-europe.com\/strategic-advantage\/\" target=\"_blank\">Strategic Advantage<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color is-style-wide\"\/>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Innovation in the mobility sector and a commitment to sustainability mean that the competition for a liveable Baltic capital, Vilnius currently enjoys pole position.&nbsp; Vilnius is<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[8068,19,6320,8103,385,8100,8101,8102,6708,61,6622],"class_list":["post-19564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-best-practice","tag-environment-energy","tag-featured","tag-judu","tag-lithuania","tag-mobility","tag-spark","tag-stuart-energy","tag-sustainability","tag-technology-innovation","tag-vilnius"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reinvantage-dev.eonserver.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}