Goal of the Research Project

With SmartDLWD, we at thinkBIC are supporting a research project that fundamentally facilitates access to AI-supported and data-driven services for municipal public service providers. Cities and municipal enterprises are increasingly under pressure to operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and simultaneously ensure reliable services. SmartDLWD provides a structured framework for this by developing methods, tools, and recommendations for intelligently using data, automating processes, and future-proofing municipal services. The project thus serves as a practical guide that empowers municipalities to sustainably build data-driven value creation.

Project Participants

SmartDLWD is led by Fraunhofer IML and implemented jointly with partners from administration, research, and industry. The project combines expertise in AI development, municipal infrastructure, process analysis, and service innovation. At thinkBIC, we support this approach by contributing our experience from digital transformation projects and data-driven business models. This creates a network that equally considers and integrates the perspectives of cities, citizens, and regional utility companies.

Our role in the project

At thinkBIC, our focus is on making it as easy as possible for municipalities to adopt data-driven applications. We support the analysis of existing processes, develop requirements for digital services with project partners, and contribute to the design of modular usage concepts. Furthermore, we help to prepare the developed solutions in a user-friendly way so that they can later be scaled to other cities and utility companies. Our contribution lies particularly in combining technological potential with practically applicable organizational and process models.

Added value for the industry / customers

SmartDLWD offers significant advantages for municipal companies and public institutions. Data-driven decision-making, automatable processes, improved service quality, and greater operational transparency simplify day-to-day project work. Citizens benefit from more efficient services, the government from a more resilient infrastructure, and companies from optimized processes and lower operating costs. The project demonstrates how AI and data economics create real benefits in the everyday provision of essential services.

Conclusion

From thinkBIC’s perspective, SmartDLWD is an important step towards a modern, data-driven public service. The project connects research, administration, and industry to provide municipalities with concrete options for action and systematically guide them towards digital service innovation. With its practical methods and clear focus on value creation, SmartDLWD will contribute to making municipal structures more resilient, efficient, and future-proof.