OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions & Cities

🏙️ Explore the daily digest from day 1 of #OECDUrbanDays, where we hosted sessions on: 🔹 Creating #cities for all ages - launching the new OECD - OCDE report outlining strategies for age-inclusive cities, highlighting adaptable housing, child-friendly design, and digital access. 🔹 Confronting the housing crisis in cities - experts urged investment in social housing and community land trusts, framing housing as a vital public good for resilient cities. 🔹 Cities for all in times of uncertainty  – OECD #ChampionMayors, led by Bratislava’s Matúš Vallo, endorsed a Call to Action for inclusive growth, with a focus on equitable mobility and local resilience. Read it here 🔗 https://brnw.ch/21wRZZJ

💡 The share of residents aged 65 and older in cities is projected to rise from 20.9% in 2020 to 27.9% by 2040. At the same time, the largest cities continue to grow and attract younger people. Our NEW checklist on creating cities for all ages is out now 🔗 https://oe.cd/5-l #OECDUrbanDays Lamia Kamal-Chaoui I Nadim Ahmad I Aziza Akhmouch | Soo-Jin Kim I Dorothée Allain-Dupré (Landel) I Rudiger Ahrend I Isabelle Chatry (Chatrie) I David Burgalassi I Ander Eizaguirre I María Ferrer I Lorenz Gross I Alix Philouze I Georges Laimé I Juliette Lassman I Andrew Paterson I Connaught Lee I Andrew Lombardi I Stefano Marta I Mana Sakamoto I Tadashi Matsumoto I Eleanor West I Takeshi MIYAMORI I Oriana Romano I Camille Viros I Ji-Soo YOON I Celia Zuberec I Thomas Kergonou Jimenez I Elizabeth D. I Hannah Whybrow I Marcos Díaz Ramírez I Marie Hanagata I Oscar Huerta Melchor I Gunes Ozcoban I Robin Tivy I Sho Yamasaki I Laurence Todd I Joekenel van der Pijl

In cities, the share of residents aged 65 and older is projected to rise from 20.9% in 2020 to 27.9% by 2040. This will increase pressure on health systems, exacerbate loneliness, lower economic productivity and increase public spending. At the same time, the largest cities continue to grow and attract younger people. To create Cities for All Ages, governments must focus on 3 policy areas: ➡️ Inclusive urban design and planning to improve accessibility. ➡️ Innovative housing solutions for different age groups. ➡️ Strengthening the local economy by integrating young and older adults as both workers and consumers. Read the full report: https://brnw.ch/21wRYWP  | #OECDUrbanDays

📣 Join us tomorrow for an exclusive masterclass with Professor Carlos Moreno, globally renowned urbanist and visionary behind the #15MinuteCity concept. We'll be exploring the "Proximity Revolution'' and looking into how bringing work, education, essential services and leisure closer to where people live can help shape more sustainable, resilient and inclusive places. Register now 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gj_SkbPR #OECDUrbanDays

💡 Productivity underpins economic resilience, higher incomes, and social inclusion. Yet, regional disparities persist, reflecting the spatial nature of productivity drivers such as skills, infrastructure, and innovation. Policy makers increasingly recognise that effective productivity policies require a spatial lens. However, regions must navigate complex trade-offs to align economic growth with environmental sustainability and other societal priorities. Join our upcoming conference alongside The Productivity Institute and with the support of the Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness, to discuss policies to bridge regional disparities and drive effective development.    This conference, organised by the OECD - OCDE Trento Centre for Local Development, brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to strengthen the evidence base, share lessons, and bridge analysis with actionable strategies for effective regional development.   🗓️5-6 June 📍Trento, Italy 🖊️ Register by 22 May    Register now 🔗 https://oe.cd/5ZD Nadim Ahmad | Bart van Ark | John Austin | Simona Iammarino | Marion Oker | Wessel Vermeulen | Juan Pablo Lievano Gamboa | Frank Neffke | Karen E. Maguire | Maria Savona | Andrew Robertson | Graeme Wilkinson | Nicola Hine | Neil Lee | Cristina Múgica | Raquel Ortega-Argilés | James Wilson | Frederick Guy | Kate Penney | Owen Garling | Garbiñe Manterola | Carlo Menon | Fátima García Elena | Rudiger Ahrend | Peter Berkowitz | Lisa Dale-Clough | Lubica Karvasova | Joaquim Oliveira Martins

💡 What can AI and digitalisation do for SMEs? Dive into the latest edition of our newsletter, focusing on the latest release of the OECD - OCDE D4SME Survey 𝙎𝙈𝙀 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 👇

💡 What can digitalisation do for SMEs? At the 6th Digital for SMEs Global Initiative (#D4SME) Roundtable today we launched a new survey revealing striking trends in how SMEs across the globe are adopting digital tools to boost competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience. Key findings: 🟢 Generative AI is gaining traction: 26% of SMEs now use large language models, up from 18% last year. 🟢 Digital tools are increasingly used to support sustainability, with 28% of SMEs tracking environmental data. 🟢 Cybersecurity remains a key concern: while 11% of SMEs have advanced security frameworks, 9% still operate without any security measures. 🟢 CEO age matters: 45% of SMEs led by CEOs aged 65+ have no digitalisation process, compared to just 11% for CEOs aged 25-34. 🟢 Despite the increasing availability of public support for digitalisation, awareness remains low: only 21% of SMEs know about government support programmes, and just 10% have accessed them. So what’s next for SMEs looking to thrive in the digital age? The survey explores four key areas where digitalisation can unlock SME potential: 🟢 Adoption of AI technologies (including generative AI) 🟢 Use of digital tools for sustainability 🟢 Uptake of fintech solutions 🟢 Digital security practices to enhance resilience against cyber threats Read the full survey now 👉 https://oe.cd/d4sme25

📣 Calling all local changemakers Present your programme and network at the "PLACES Live: Local Initiatives Marketplace" at the upcoming Local Development Forum in #Barranquilla, Colombia. Apply by 23 April to share your story on a global stage 🔗 https://bit.ly/4lplFiS We're looking for standout initiatives in: 🟢 Culture & creative sectors  🟢 Coastal communities  🟢 Digital transition  🟢 Night economy  🟢 Women’s participation  🟢 Innovative partnerships  🟢 Place branding & marketing Why apply? 🟢 Showcase your work in person at PLACES Live  🟢 Feature your initiative on the 2025 Local Development Forum website  🟢 Share your story with the OECD - OCDE global network via our PLACES portal International Economic Development Council | World Cities Culture Forum | Organización de los Estados Americanos | Gobernación del Atlántico  Gobernación del Atlántico | Fundación Avina | Colombian Federation of Municipalities | Alcaldía Distrital de Barranquilla | Karen E. Maguire | Anna Rubin | Lukas Kleine-Rueschkamp | Amal CHEVREAU-BAHIJ | Ekaterina Travkina | Alessandra Proto | Alexandra Campbell | Anni H. | Oscar Mauricio Coronado Rincón | Katrina Baker | Eloísa Cózar Navarrete 

🌍 As low-emission zones spread across the globe, success depends not just on how quickly we cut emissions, but on how we do it. In 🇫🇷 France, the debate around low-emission zones is growing, as is the need for cleaner air.   📍 In cities like Tokyo, Brussels, London and Paris, air quality has improved after implementing these measures.    But for such policies to truly succeed, they must be fair, with attention to: 🟢 Subsidies and support 🟢 Local adaptation 🟢 Gradual implementation   📝 In a new Le Monde article, OECD Local CFE Director Lamia Kamal-Chaoui shares key insights into how to make these measures work. Read the article here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/d8uCcmci

📣 Today we are excited to kick off a 5-day capacity-building initiative aimed at equipping Ukrainian government staff and regional development agencies with the skills and knowledge to develop and manage regional development strategies. Through practical sessions, workshops, and expert exchanges, participants will enhance their ability to design effective regional policies. This initiative is organised by the OECD Trento Centre for Local Development, the EURADA - European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA), Trentino Sviluppo S.p.A. (Italy), and Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development Project (UCORD Project), which is implemented with the support of Switzerland via the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation by NIRAS Sweden AB. The capacity building initiative seeks to: 🟢 Enhance the capacity of the staff of the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, the Ministry of Economy, Oblast Administrations, and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) in Ukraine in governance, strategy, stakeholder engagement, data-driven planning, policy implementation, and monitoring. 🟢 Demonstrate European practices in regional strategic planning, emphasising the facilitator and coordinator role of RDAs in fostering effective and collaborative development processes. 🟢 Equip participants with practical tools and methodologies for strategy development, enabling them to tailor initiatives to the specific contexts and needs of Ukrainian regions. 🟢 Highlight the importance of multi-level governance in designing and implementing successful strategies, showcasing how regional, and national collaboration underpins effective policy outcomes. We are looking forward to an enriching experience with 25 distinguished speakers 👇 Alessandra Proto | Alberto Turchetto | Maryna Bryl | Roberta Dall'Olio | Anita Richter | Maria-Varinia Michalun | Katerina Ciampi Stancova, PhD | Alberto Bramanti | Daniel Janeiro | Luca Capra | Sebastian Baumann Klaus Egger | Paolo Rosso | Francesco Raphael Frieri | Roberto Righetti | Wessel Vermeulen | Zuzana Zavarska | Alessandro Rainoldi | Valentina Perrotta, Ph.D | Francesco Molica | David Uhlíř | Enrico Zaninotto | Carlo Menon | Davide Azzolini | Federico Podesta More info 🔗 https://oe.cd/5Zb