Transforming the spaces in which we live, work and play to enable a more sustainable, resilient and prosperous future for all.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to rethink the way we live. It is transforming industries and how we do business. It is intensifying social and environmental crises in our communities. And it is challenging fundamental assumptions and global trends, such as urbanization, that have cemented over more than 200 years since the First Industrial Revolution.

As the world prepares to build back stronger and better, we have new tools available to support this effort. A growing suite of connected devices and smart technologies, commonly referred to as the internet of things (IoT), offers a means to reimagine and transform physical spaces—our homes, offices, factories, farms, healthcare facilities and public spaces—to be more adaptive, customized and even anticipate new needs before they arise. New models for public-private cooperation and shared community services are also changing the way in which cities provide services to residents and business, blurring the lines between government and the private sector.

The World Economic Forum's Platform for Shaping the Future of the Internet of Things and Urban Transformation is working with more than 100 global partners to ensure that these changes deliver a future that is more sustainable, resilient and prosperous for all. This includes, for example, initiatives with the Government of Brazil to support small and medium-sized enterprises and advance social mobility, collaboration with the G20 to modernize city services, and partnerships with wearables companies to help manage and avert the spread of COVID-19.

Key initiatives:

Future of the Connected World

The events of 2020 have forever changed the trajectory of IoT and its role in society. New applications of IoT – from public health surveillance to global supply chain integration – are delivering enormous benefits while also drawing attention to significant gaps in the governance of these technologies. Together with global leaders from across the IoT ecosystem, our Platform is driving collective action to help realize the potential of IoT and build a connected world that benefits all.

Future of Cities

COVID-19 and the global economic crisis is forcing cities to revisit and recalibrate long-term strategic plans and economic development strategies. Our Platform provides an independent and impartial forum for public-private collaboration on these matters while also advancing new frameworks and policy tools for improved planning. Complementing this work, our Platform serves as secretariat for the foremost global initiative to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies with partners representing more than 200,000 cities and local governments.

Future of Real Estate

Chief executives from the world's leading real estate companies have identified four key pillars—livability, sustainability, resilience and affordabilty—that are necessary to drive a transition of the real estate ecosystem and the built environment. Our Platform curates and convenes public and private sector stakeholders to advance these changes at a local level.

Featured Blog series: Cities of Tomorrow