POLIS

Their core work

POLIS is a leading European network of cities and regions working on sustainable urban transport and mobility. They facilitate knowledge exchange between local authorities, help cities adopt Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs), and bridge the gap between EU-funded transport research and real-world city implementation. Their core value lies in aggregating the needs and experiences of dozens of European cities, then feeding those insights into research projects and policy development — essentially acting as the voice of cities in EU transport innovation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2018), POLIS focused heavily on traditional sustainable mobility topics: bus systems (EBSF_2), city logistics (NOVELOG, CITYLAB), walking and cycling promotion (FLOW, TRACE), public transport electrification (ELIPTIC), and SUMP dissemination (SUMPs-Up). From 2018 onward, their work shifted notably toward governance and regulation of emerging mobility — automated vehicles, road-space reallocation, digital mobility platforms, and inclusive transport access (GECKO, ReVeAL, Levitate, INDIMO). The keyword shift from "demonstration" and "peer-to-peer exchange" to "governance," "machine learning," and "international cooperation" signals a clear move from implementation support toward policy leadership for next-generation urban transport.

POLIS is positioning itself as the go-to European network for helping cities regulate and govern emerging mobility technologies like automated vehicles, shared mobility, and zero-emission zones.

How they like to work

POLIS overwhelmingly operates as a participant (40 of 41 projects), which is typical for a city network — they bring the municipal perspective and dissemination channels rather than leading technical research. With 610 unique consortium partners across 48 countries, they are a true network hub, connecting researchers with cities across virtually all of Europe. Their consistent moderate funding (avg €236K) indicates a role focused on coordination, policy input, and knowledge transfer rather than technical development.

An exceptionally well-connected organization with 610 unique consortium partners spanning 48 countries — one of the largest collaboration networks in EU urban transport research. Their Brussels base and city-network nature gives them direct links to municipal governments, transport authorities, and urban planners across Europe.

What sets them apart

POLIS occupies a rare position as the bridge between EU transport research and actual city implementation. While research institutes develop solutions and companies build products, POLIS brings the demand side — what cities actually need, what regulations allow, and what citizens accept. For consortium builders, including POLIS means instant access to a network of European cities willing to test, validate, and adopt transport innovations.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SUMPs-Up
  Largest single project funding (€644K) — a flagship programme accelerating Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan adoption across Europe with peer-to-peer city exchange.
• CIVITAS SATELLITE
  The only project POLIS coordinated (€458K), a support action for evaluation, learning, and knowledge transfer across the CIVITAS urban mobility initiative.
• Levitate
  Addressed societal-level impacts of connected and automated vehicles — representing POLIS's shift toward future mobility governance at the intersection of digital and transport sectors.