The Urban Innovation Gap: Bridging Startups, Cities, and Urban Expertise

Urban innovation sits at the crossroads of startups and investors, municipalities and policymakers, research institutions, corporates, and practitioners working on the ground. Yet these worlds rarely share the same room—and when they do, they often don’t speak the same language.

This conversation explores what it truly takes to close that gap. Who needs to be connected? What skills and structures make collaboration possible? And how can we move from isolated pilot projects to real systemic change in our cities?

Bringing together voices from the startup ecosystem, public sector, and urban innovation space, this session will unpack how stronger partnerships and shared understanding can accelerate the transformation of urban systems.

Moderator

Anastasia Sukhoroslova — Founder & CEO, All Things Urban; Co-Founder & Managing Director, the GeoSpatial Hub

Speakers

Tunca Beril Basaran — Founder, CarboSlag

Lou Kest — Program & Ecosystem Lead, Berlin Innovation Agency (BIA)

Katia Alarcón Ruiz — Governance Innovation Expert, ICLEI Europe