Gangnam District to Join Barcelona Smart City Expo with Five AI Innovators

Gangnam District to Run Pavilion at SCEWC 2026, Nov. 3-5

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies developed by companies in Seoul's Gangnam District for building energy management, urban control centers and street-tree management will take the stage at the world's largest smart city exhibition.

Gangnam District, headed by District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki, announced on November 2 that it will participate in the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) 2026, held in Barcelona, Spain, from November 3 to 5, alongside five innovative companies.

The Gangnam Pavilion at the Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) 2025, held in Barcelona, Spain, last year. Courtesy of Gangnam-gu.

SCEWC is an international event hosted by the City of Barcelona and Fira Barcelona, where city governments, international organizations and companies from around the world share urban policies and technologies. Last year, 997 cities and 1,190 companies and organizations participated, and more than 27,000 people visited. Gangnam District won the Smart City Award project prize at its first participation in 2023 and is taking part for the fourth consecutive year. Last year, it held 225 business consultations with six companies, generating consultation results worth approximately $4.57 million.

The district will set up the Gangnam Pavilion in the Seoul Pavilion under the theme "GANGNAM, SMARTER WITH AI." It will feature six booths: one policy zone introducing district policies and five company exhibition booths. The participating companies are Ninewatt, PiaSpace, SaveTree, Infera and Desen Korea, which have either conducted demonstration projects with Gangnam District or are based in Gangnam.

Ninewatt will showcase technology that analyzes building energy consumption and costs to identify waste and help reduce carbon emissions. PiaSpace will present technology that analyzes camera footage using AI for urban monitoring and safety responses. SaveTree will introduce technology that uses AI, LiDAR and the Internet of Things (IoT) to digitally manage street trees and green spaces. Infera will present AI-powered safety management technology that detects hazardous situations at public and infrastructure facilities, while Desen Korea will showcase technology that verifies the security of AI systems within organizations.

The companies will hold business consultations with local buyers and investors and explain their solutions to representatives of overseas cities and organizations at the "AI Seoul × Global Seminar." They also plan to explore opportunities for cooperation with representatives of pavilions from major cities, including those in Japan, Saudi Arabia, London and Paris.

"We will introduce Gangnam's smart city policies and innovative technologies to the world," District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said. "We will actively support the participating companies as they seek new sales channels and partnership opportunities in global markets."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.