Nighttime in Cities – Fraunhofer IAO

The nighttime, defined as the time between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., has received increasing attention from the local governments, research and the private sector in the last decade. An increasing number of cities are appointing night-time mayors to advocate for the social, cultural and economic development of the night time. New business models, partnerships and management approaches have emerged to exploit the full potential of the nighttime. This online conference aims to bring together various stakeholders from research, public and private sectors to share the best practices and lessons learned. The online conference “Nighttime in Cities” is based on a close German – British collaboration and a mutual aim to bring institutions together to exchange ideas, participate in accelerating innovations and nighttime solutions in urban areas.

While the nighttime economy is commonly perceived as a synonym to an entertainment and culture industry, studies show that it is represented by a wide range of sectors including health care, transportation services, telecommunication, food production and services, delivery, and many more. Nowadays, the nighttime economy can be a powerful tool to increase the attractiveness of the city, create jobs and boost the economy.

The virtual conference “Nighttime in Cities” is an international event that aims to highlight the latest research, governance, and business developments of the night in Europe. The conference is a connecting platform for multiple nighttime shareholders, such as nighttime mayors, private sectors, researches and policymakers to exchange the experience, discuss the challenges, strategy and development forecasts for the upcoming years.

The virtual conference will consist of two parts:

• During the first session, the Urban Economy Innovation team of Fraunhofer IAO will present the findings of the latest research on the nighttime economy. Besides, the renowned experts in the field will introduce state-of-the-art policy and business models
• The second session will be organized as two parallel streams:
  – Role and strategy of Nighttime Mayors (the session is held in German)
  – The future of the nighttime economy

The break-out sessions will allow the participants to actively engage in the discussion and share their views and opinions on this topic.

Registration