Smart Insights on Smart Cities

After the publication of IMD Smart City Index 2025, I conducted the following email Q&A with IMD World Competitiveness Center Chief Economist and Head of Operations Christos Cabolis. Before responding to questions, he offered this framing of what makes the report (SCI) unique:

“The SCI is not a measure of infrastructure per se,” he said. “It is a measure of how residents perceive the effectiveness of their city’s infrastructure and services, particularly whether technology is helping to solve the challenges residents face in daily life. This makes SCI a valuable input for policymakers and city administrators. SCI highlights whether a city’s efforts align with residents’ lived experience: whether residents feel policies are working, whether technology is accessible, and whether the benefits are widely felt across the community.

Click here to view the original article from Site Selection Magazine.