Michael Leitner-Hickisch
He is Team Lead for Digitalization and AI at Urban Innovation Vienna, the climate and innovation agency of the City of Vienna. In his work, he focuses on how cities can use digital technologies and artificial intelligence to create trusted public services. He works at the intersection of public administration, innovation policy, and human-centered design, developing and evaluating new digital services and participation formats together with city departments, researchers, and citizens. His work explores how European cities can actively shape the digital transformation and create public value through technology.
Sign in to Spring ITAPA 2026
-
Keynote: Cities as Platforms: how innovations are tested, scaled, and deployed in real urban environments
Dr. Michael Leitner-Hickisch of Urban Innovation Vienna is helping shape Vienna’s digital future as one of Europe’s most innovative cities. In recent years, he has been instrumental in establishing the Vienna Geospace Hub—a unique urban laboratory connecting AI, satellite data, and climate-neutral urban planning - as well as in building the AI Expert Pool for the City of Vienna, which supports the ethical and practical integration of artificial intelligence into local government operations. He also leads KICK Lab, where new AI solutions are tested directly in real-world urban environments before being scaled up for broader implementation.