HiQ’s Frends platform in collaboration with Karlskrona showcased at the 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge

HiQ’s integration platform Frends, in collaboration with Karlskrona Municipality (Sweden), and together with the platforms ArcGIS and Abou, has successfully launched a solution that makes it easier to rent somewhere to moor a boat. The project is part of the European Commission’s 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC), which supports 136 cities in the use of advanced technology for intelligent, green and socially responsible recovery.

–It’s really exciting to see our smart Frends platform being used to simplify and improve the lives of people living in Blekinge. And it’s even more exciting to get noticed on the global arena. I’m looking forward to be following this project, says Sven Ivar Mørch, CEO of HiQ.

All over the world, if a city is by the sea, like Karlskrona, boat owners are always very keen to find the ideal, city center location to moor their boat. Karlskrona Municipality offers about 1,900 recreational berths at 29 different jetty and harbor facilities. Most of these are in central Karlskrona, but it is also possible to rent a berth on the outskirts of the city. Making all the information about every berth easily available is now one of the key ways of making the city more accessible and enhancing the overall experience.

– This is a very successful project with Karlskrona Municipality and helps put Frends further on the map in the Swedish market. We are grateful to Karlskrona for working so well with us and we are proud that the project is part of the ICC”, says Jukka Rautio, Head of Frends, HiQ.

The project integrates data from a variety of sources to bring together the latest information on everything you need to know about municipal moorings. This includes availability, mooring size, boat instructions for mooring, geolocation, a booking system and an integrated payment system. The Frends platform is an effective and simple tool for the public sector to improve and promote data sharing between different systems. The flexibility of the APIs and low-code integrations within the platform makes it easier and more cost-effective to create new digital services.

– We are constantly working to improve our service delivery to our residents. I believe that it is essential to have a process-based approach to develop sustainable solutions that simplify the lives of our residents and visitors, and the Frends platform strengthens our ability in this area, says Carl-Martin Lanér, Municipal Director at Karlskrona Municipality.

Combining Frends with ArcGIS and Abou has resulted in the development of a map-based interface which makes it easier for the user to handle the main issues surrounding harbor management, and this in turn contributes positively to the following sustainability goals: SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The project, which is a solution for E-Government & Digital Public Service called Karlskrona Berths & Moorings, is part of the European Commission's 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC).

The ICC is an initiative that supports 136 cities in using advanced technology for intelligent, green and socially responsible recovery. The cities that are part of the ICC act as engines of recovery for their local economy, creating new jobs and strengthening citizens' participation and well-being. The different cities have access to strategic advice from international experts in areas such as the green economy, local green business, the digitization of public administration, digital and green transition in tourism and much more. The ICC is part of a broader support system within the European Union that recognizes the importance of meeting the promises of the European Green Deal, the digital strategy and other EU policies.

HiQ helps to make the world a better place by using technology, design and communication solutions to make people’s lives simpler and better. We are the perfect partner for everyone eager to achieve results that make a difference in a digital world. Founded in 1995, HiQ currently has over 1500 specialists in five countries and is since 2020 owned by Triton. For more information and inspiration, please visit www.hiq.se