80+ Startups Making Cities Smarter Across Traffic, Waste, Energy, Water Usage, And More

The cost of sensors has more than halved in the 10 years to 2014, falling to an average of 60 cents per unit. Declining sensor cost is one of the main drivers of Internet of Things technology, and the proliferation of internet-connected devices in the built environment. Those sensors are allowing us to gather new data that was previously inaccessible, and one impact is the growth of companies with the potential to make our cities smarter and more efficient as a whole.

We used CB Insights data to segment the growing crop of companies that are working to build smart cities.

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We define startups operating in the smart cities segment as those that are helping to connect services, utilities, and roads to the internet. These startups are providing data-driven services that help cities increase their efficiency in using resources and/or help increase public transit-related mobility for city consumers.

These are some of the areas that these startups are operating in:

• Parking – Startups are improving the efficiency with which we park our cars, doing everything from booking (ParkWhiz), parking analytics (Parkifi), and smart metering (MeterFeeder).
• Grid/Energy – These companies are using analytics, algorithms, and connectivity to keep supply and demand for electricity in balance.
• Data-Driven Urban Planning – These companies are providing access to new, hyperlocal data about our cities and helping planners understand neighborhood needs better.
• Smarter Transport – Startups that are working on new commuter shuttle transit options powered by data (Bridj, Shuttl), or smart bike-sharing programs (Zagster, Mobike, Ofo).
• Environmental Sensors – Companies that are developing hardware to better understand our urban environment, from weather data, to pollution, to ambient sound.
• Connectivity – Startups that are using different means to provide internet, connections, and infrastructure for new networks.
• Waste Management – Using data and connected devices to optimize waste collection.
• Traffic/Transit Data – Private companies that are using mobile and sensors to provide analytics around commutes and congestion.
• Water Software & Analytics – Tools that help analyze and test water in our cities.
• Disaster Management – Startups helping local governments make quicker and more informed, data-driven decisions prior to and during natural disasters.

Want more information on smart city companies? Check our our venture capital database below.