The City of Mechelen recently launched an innovation challenge calling on companies to develop ideas that improve cycling safety and comfort in public spaces.
The initiative took the form of a public innovation procurement, where selected participants received funding to develop and test their concepts in real-world conditions. In return the selected participants committed to test a novel solution that was not out on the market yet.
One of the chosen participants was XenomatiX, a Belgian scale-up that developed an advanced solution based on lidar and camera technology to map the condition of road, cycling and sidewalk infrastructure with high precision.
Innovation Through Collaboration Citcom.ai & Mechelen as a Testbed
Mechelen is part of the Citcom.ai consortium and acts as a Testing and Experimentation Facility (TEF) within that network.
This means the city actively opens its physical infrastructure, data, and legal frameworks to innovators, making it easier to pilot cutting-edge technologies in an urban environment.
To attract solutions that could directly benefit the city’s cycling network, Mechelen issued an open call for AI-driven products that improve cycling safety in the public domain.
Mapping 50 km of Strategic Cycling Routes
As part of their pilot, XenomatiX mapped over 50 kilometers of Mechelen’s bike paths using their precision technology of the XenoBike.
These routes were not chosen randomly: they focused on so-called ‘wijkroutes’ - key cycling arteries that the city promotes as preferred entryways for cyclists coming from the surrounding municipalities.
The insights gathered will help the city identify priority areas for maintenance or upgrades, ensuring that infrastructure investments are targeted and effective.
A First Step Toward a Smarter City
This was Mechelen’s first time organizing an innovation challenge of this kind, and the experience offers valuable lessons for future initiatives — not just in mobility, but in other urban domains as well.
By positioning itself as an open and supportive test environment, the city strengthens its role as a magnet for innovation.
It’s a win-win: innovators gain real-world validation, and the city benefits from fresh, tech-driven solutions to complex challenges; says Benjamin Vermeulen, City of Mechelen
Want to know more about how Mechelen supports urban innovation through Citcom.ai? Stay tuned for upcoming projects and open calls.
