Milan has launched an incubation hub and lab for smart city research and technology. Inaugurated in July 2025, SmartCityLab Milano aims to become a certified incubator and accelerator, as well as a centre for technological experimentation and cultural promotion on smart city themes.

The centre’s 2,000 square metres house start-ups, office spaces, an auditorium, a rooftop event space, and a “tech aggregator” area dedicated to technology exhibitions and start-up incubation.

The goal is to create an open space capable of innovation to benefit not only businesses but the entire community.

There are initiatives organised across four platforms, each tailored to the specific expertise of the managing entities: venture client management for bringing start-ups and corporations together; citizen experience for citizen-centred digital services; social innovation with the LifeGate approach; and urban design integrating creativity and urban regeneration. The project has an international focus, confirming Milan’s desire to engage with global urban innovation networks.

As Milan Councillor for Economic Development, Alessia Cappello said: “SmartCityLab will be an incubator for businesses specialising in innovative projects to make our cities smarter, more sustainable, and more inclusive.” The project is the result of a programme agreement between the City of Milan, the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, and Invitalia, which oversaw the design and implementation with an investment of €5 million. Management is entrusted to a temporary consortium of companies led by PwC Italia, LifeGate Way , LifeGate, Lhub, Webgenesys, and Designtech.