AI-Generated Summary
The Smart London Innovation Network (SLIN) was a programme launched by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in 2014 as part of the Mayor of London's Smart London Plan, published in December 2013. Developed in partnership with the Institute for Sustainability, which received £100,000 in GLA grant funding, SLIN aimed to connect innovators, SMEs, and technology entrepreneurs with organisations responsible for delivering smart infrastructure across London.
The network brought together entrepreneurs, infrastructure providers, IT and software companies, property developers, and local authorities in opportunity areas with future growth potential, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. In its first year, the programme targeted piloting two smart city innovations and engaging at least 100 London-based SMEs and entrepreneurs by Q1 2015.
Operating under the strategic guidance of the Smart London Board, SLIN served as its demonstration and implementation vehicle. The programme supported business start-up and growth while acting as a demonstrator for smart technologies that could be showcased to global markets. Broader goals included leveraging London's position as a global city, collaborating with the Future Cities Catapult and the Connected Digital Economy Catapult, and aiming to lever £200 million into London for smart city demonstrations by 2018.
SLIN's work and vision evolved into the Smarter London Together roadmap, launched by the Mayor in 2018 with five strategic missions: user-designed services, city-wide data infrastructure, world-class connectivity, digital skills development, and cross-sector collaboration. The programme's legacy continued through successor initiatives including the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI), established to improve digital collaboration among London boroughs.