The Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) will host the RUN-EU Innothon ‘Designing Smarter Cities and Villages for a Sustainable Future’ on 13 February 2025 in the Athlone campus.

This hands-on Innothon will challenge students to explore how smart technologies, innovative planning, and community-led solutions can shape more liveable, resilient cities and villages. Participants, who will attend from a local primary school, will work through the core principles behind smart development, with a strong focus on sustainability, inclusion, and practical impact rather than theory alone.

The programme will examine how the circular economy underpins smart urban and rural design, from energy and mobility to food systems and land use. Students will investigate the relationship between the built environment, environmental change, and quality of life, highlighting why smarter planning is now a necessity rather than an option.

Through guided activities and real-world challenges, students will:
Analyse light pollution and its impact on biodiversity, health, and night-time economies, exploring smarter lighting strategies and policy responses

Explore alternative and local food systems, including urban growing, short supply chains, and technology-enabled food resilience, develop ideas around sustainable spatial planning, balancing housing, transport, green spaces, and community needs in both cities and villages

The Innothon will also showcase how science, data, and digital tools are driving decarbonisation and smarter decision-making, supported by case studies and examples of best practice from across Europe.
Beyond concept development, students will gain practical insight into turning ideas into viable projects or ventures. Sessions will cover the essentials of starting and scaling initiatives, including regulation, funding, finance, and communication – ensuring ideas can move from concept to implementation.

Looking ahead, participants will examine emerging trends and challenges facing smart cities and villages, preparing them to lead, adapt, and innovate in rapidly changing environments. This Innothon isn’t about abstract futures – it’s about designing smarter places that genuinely work for people and the planet.

RUN-EU Innothon
Designing Smarter Cities and Villages for a Sustainable Future

Date
13 February 2026

Time
10h00 – 15h00

Mode
Face-to-Face

Target group
Primary school students

Previous knowledge required
No previous knowledge/experience is required.

It will focus on:

• Smart Cities
• Smart Villages
• Smart foods of the future
• Light pollution

Coordination
TUS, Ireland