University of Lisbon joins Rock In Rio as a partner of Smart City of Rock

ULisboa is officially the first University Partner of Smart City of Rock, an innovation platform created by Rock in Rio Lisboa, in partnership with Liquid Innovation Co., which transforms the festival into a true living laboratory for technological solutions with real impact. The partnership follows the institutional support already announced by the Lisbon City Council (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa) and Unicorn Factory Lisboa, combined with the international launch of the startup call during the last edition of the Web Summit last November.

The integration, as a University Partner, of the largest and most representative higher education institution in Portugal, which has a vast ecosystem of schools and research centers, incubators, and structures supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as the largest ecosystem of academic-based startups at the national level, strengthens the institutional dimension of Smart City of Rock and consolidates the link between scientific knowledge and applied innovation, positioning academia as a central agent in the co-creation of solutions in a real context. This involvement gives the project institutional legitimacy and contributes to the early development of solutions with the potential for replication in other urban contexts, both nationally and internationally.

“The University of Lisbon brings a very important academic dimension to Smart City of Rock. We are taking another important step toward making a difference together and continuing to build an important and necessary legacy that will endure far beyond music and entertainment,” says Roberta Medina, Executive Vice President of Rock in Rio Lisboa.

Egon Barbosa, CEO of Liquid Innovation Co., points out that “by connecting science, knowledge, and applied innovation in a real-world context, we have created a platform with the capacity to influence how cities evolve globally. The appointment of the University of Lisbon as our University Partner will undoubtedly elevate the Smart City of Rock to a new level of excellence.”

For Luís Ferreira, Rector of the University of Lisbon, “The University of Lisbon reaffirms its position at the forefront of innovation by joining the Smart City of Rock. This partnership allows us to take the excellence of our research beyond the campuses, applying scientific knowledge in a living laboratory and in a real context. It is a decisive step in our commitment to co-create solutions that respond to urban challenges and improve people's lives, consolidating ULisboa as an open, entrepreneurial, and future-oriented institution.”

It should be noted that Smart City of Rock will make its debut at the 11th edition of Rock in Rio Lisboa, in a real, connected, and data-driven environment, where companies, startups, the public sector, and academia will be able to test and measure solutions in areas such as smart infrastructure and data management, mobility, tourism and security, health and well-being, brand experiences, operational management, ESG, and education. More than just a concept, this will be a real, connected, and functional infrastructure, designed to welcome more than 100,000 people daily.

To expand its international reach and promote collaboration between sponsors, startups, and governments, it has a global network of Business Connectors that includes partnerships with various entities in the United States, Brazil, the Middle East, China, Canada, Portugal, Australia, and Spain, reinforcing the strong internationalization of Smart City of Rock and the Portuguese technological ecosystem.

The twenty startups, currently in the selection phase, will have the opportunity to implement and evaluate their solutions at Rock in Rio Lisboa, contributing to the development of tools applicable to smarter and more sustainable urban policies. A week after the end of the festival, they will also be able to join Smart Rock Tank, an investment round in which they can make new pitches with their already consolidated project.