Best Smart City Startups Transforming Urban Life

Abstract concept with highway and symbols on top.

Here at Startup Savant, we love startup culture. That’s why we identified the most exciting, innovative, and creative smart city startups to watch in 2024 and beyond. From improving a city’s energy efficiency to improving parking solutions — these are the top smart city companies to follow. 

Learn how to launch your own company by reading our comprehensive guide, How to Start a Startup.

Top Smart City Companies to Watch

Every year, new startups pull to the forefront of their industry through exciting innovation and industry-disrupting business models. We’ve rounded up the most exciting smart city startups of 2024 that startup-lovers, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs should follow. 

Disclaimer: With so many exciting startups launching and growing worldwide, we aren’t able to cover them all. Furthermore, the startups that are listed below are not officially ranked and are listed in no particular order.

1. Roker

Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Funding: N/A

Roker is a US-based urban mobility startup that is revolutionizing urban parking management. The mobile app allows users to look for parking spaces, pay parking fees, and apply for parking permits. It also updates parking space owners on permit approval requests and key parking data so that they can adjust prices and policies based on market trends.

2. Intents Mobi

Location: Haryana, India
Funding: Seed, $1.8 Million

Indian geospatial intelligence startup Intents Mobi provides navigation and routing through their app, Intents Go. Designed for Indian roads and addresses, the app gives users road condition alerts such as potholes, broken patches, and waterlogging. The technology also provides safety information, weather alerts, and the best possible route for each trip, based on the type of vehicle.

3. Tenantcube

Location: Saint Catharines, Canada
Funding: Pre-Seed, $250,000

Canadian company Tenantcube helps landlords manage their properties themselves. The online property management platform automates renting, from listing properties to tenant onboarding. It also allows potential renters to find homes more quickly, auto-generates rental applications and offers rental insurance options through third-party vendors.

4. Modulous

Location: London, United Kingdom
Funding: Series Unknown, £17.5 Million

London PropTech startup Modulous is transforming how homes are designed, built, and purchased. The company is completely reimagining the construction industry from an automated digital design platform to a fully integrated supply chain network. Their innovations will enable a zero carbon and zero waste design and dramatically reduce the time and money spent on building homes.

5. EQuota

Location: Shanghai, China
Funding: Private Equity, CN¥1.8 Million

Based in Shanghai, EQuota is a data analytics startup focused on offering smart energy solutions. The company supports large manufacturing factories, utilities, high-tech industrial parks, and commercial buildings. EQuota’s team, led by MIT graduates, uses AI to monitor energy consumption, optimize efficiency, and improve business operations. 

Feeling inspired? Learn how to launch your company with our guide on How to Start a Startup.

6. CrowdScan

Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Funding: Series A, €800,000

Belgian startup CrowdScan offers an easy way to monitor crowds in smart cities. The crowd management solution uses a wireless sensor network and radio frequencies to measure crowd density and movements at events, in shopping centers, and in the city. Using previous data, the software also predicts future trends and evolutions. These insights can improve emergency management, public transportation, and more.

7. HumanFirst

Location: San Francisco, California
Funding: Series A, $14.9 Million

MedTech company HumanFirst is upping the game when it comes to smart city healthcare. Based in California, the US startup builds the operational infrastructure needed to bring healthcare and medical trials into the home. It has developed sensor technologies that allow hospitals and manufacturers to monitor a patient’s heart rate and sleep patterns from afar, improving patient outcomes and allowing better doctor-patient communications. 

8. Videonetics

Location: West Bengal, India
Funding: Series A, Undisclosed Amount

Videonetics, a unified video computing platform based in India, uses the power of AI and deep learning to help users understand surveillance data. The company’s technology makes it easy to review CCTV footage and carry out auditing in real-time, allowing for the quick resolution of incidents and the creation of incident reports. Videonetics is currently used by more than 100 companies, including airports and traffic monitoring organizations. 

9. Circulor

Location: London, United Kingdom
Funding: Series B, £34.6 Million

London startup Circulor makes global supply chains traceable, sustainable, and ethical. Through the innovative use of blockchain and AI, the company allows users to track raw materials, minimizing environmental damage and protecting workers’ rights. The technology also helps companies to identify the weakest links in their supply chain, allowing them to eliminate problematic suppliers. 

10. SiteSee

Location: Brisbane, Australia
Funding: Series A, $1.5 Million

Brisbane-based startup SiteSee is helping the world overcome communication issues. The automated infrastructure technology solution enables faster 5G rollout by helping companies audit operations efficiently. The company uses drones, 3D modeling, and AI to audit towers, quickly categorizing each piece of equipment and its location. This makes it easy to identify potential areas of improvement without a person climbing the tower. 

Recommended: Check out our full list of the hottest startups to watch!