From building energy savings to urban safety, tree management and AI security — the district joins Smart City Expo World Congress from Tuesday through Thursday
Gangnam-gu is setting its sights on the global smart city market, leading with AI-powered urban technology.
The district will attend the world's largest smart city trade fair alongside five local innovative companies to showcase Gangnam's urban policies and advanced technologies and help the firms break into overseas markets.
Gangnam-gu will participate in Smart City Expo World Congress 2026, held in Barcelona, Spain, from Tuesday through Thursday.
The Smart City Expo World Congress, or SCEWC, is an international event where city governments, international organizations and companies from around the world gather to share smart city policies and cutting-edge technologies. Last year, 997 cities and 1,190 companies and institutions took part, drawing more than 27,000 visitors.
Gangnam-gu has attended the expo for four consecutive years since its debut in 2023, when it won the Smart City Award in the project category. Last year, the district conducted 225 business consultations alongside six innovative companies, generating approximately $4.57 million in consultation results.
This year, the district will operate a six-booth Gangnam pavilion inside the Seoul hall under the theme "GANGNAM, SMARTER WITH AI." The pavilion is divided into a policy zone introducing Gangnam-gu's smart city initiatives and exhibition spaces for the five participating companies.
The participating firms are Ninewatt, Piaspace, Savetree, Infera and Daesen Korea — companies that have either conducted pilot projects with Gangnam-gu or are based in the district. They will present a range of technologies spanning building energy management, urban monitoring and safety, green space management and AI security.
Ninewatt analyzes building energy consumption and costs to identify sources of waste and support carbon emission reductions. Piaspace will exhibit technology that uses AI to analyze camera footage for urban monitoring and safety response.
Savetree will introduce a solution that uses AI, LiDAR and the Internet of Things to digitally manage street trees and urban green spaces. Infera will present AI-based technology for detecting risks and preventing accidents in public and urban infrastructure, while Daesen Korea will showcase technology that verifies the security of AI systems within institutional environments.
A particular focus of this year's participation is business collaboration with overseas cities and organizations, going beyond simple technology exhibitions. The participating companies will present their technologies to local buyers and investors and hold consultations and networking sessions.
The firms will also take part in the "AI Seoul × Global Seminar," where they will introduce their solutions to officials from overseas cities and institutions and hold question-and-answer sessions and small-group meetings. The district also plans to engage with representatives from major city pavilions — including those of Japan, Saudi Arabia, London and Paris — to explore opportunities for smart city policy and technology cooperation.
"Through this expo, we will introduce Gangnam's outstanding smart city policies and innovative technologies to the world," Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said. "We will actively support the participating companies in securing new markets and partnership opportunities in the global arena."
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