How Can We Redefine Urban Life and the Built Environment in the Age of Technology?

Last week we visited Vilnius for the first CityShift conference, where more than 270 participants—from proptech, contech and urbantech innovators to developers, urban planners and executives from the largest real estate companies—gathered to explore how technology can fundamentally reshape the way cities and the built environment operate.

Experts from Lithuania to the United States, from France to Hungary came together in the Lithuanian capital. Bankers, engineers, lawyers, researchers, startup founders and municipal decision-makers all shared one mission: to define the direction of change toward a more sustainable, data-driven and human-centered urban ecosystem.

Autonomous Buildings – A New Era of Operations

One of the most impactful talks came from Troy Aaron Harvey, founder of PassiveLogic. He demonstrated how buildings may soon become autonomous systems—self-directed units that sense, analyze and optimize their own operations. The world’s first edge-based AI computer developed specifically for building control is already functioning, signaling the future of building operations.

Humanoid Robots and the Post-BMS Era

The team at Exergio presented a fully functioning humanoid robot—not as a concept, but as a real operational example. Their message was clear: within five years, traditional BMS systems will likely fade into the background, replaced by open, integrated and data-driven platforms.

Pitches from Civinity, Bisly, Bidrento, Renovative.ai, Lumen Cache, GREI and Weblock also made one thing clear: the region is building a technological layer that already delivers measurable operational efficiency and real ROI in property management.

• Bidrento is active in 15 countries,
• Renovative.ai, developed in Hungary, supports leasing optimization,
• GREI showcased a new level in AI-powered security technology.

Innovation Pays Off – With Concrete Case Studies

Experiences shared by EIKA Group, Eastnine, SIRIN Development and SIMBIOCITY clearly prove that proptech is not a communications tool but a business reality. Digital twins, real-time sensor data and AI-driven operations now deliver tangible savings.

Kestutis Sasnauskas from Eastnine stood out with an honest presentation about the challenges of digitalization and the learning journey required to make real progress.

Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and the New Urban DNA

Michael Dugent highlighted the darker side of technological progress, emphasizing that cybersecurity is no longer merely an IT task—it is a business and ethical responsibility.

Antony Slumbers demonstrated the practical applications of AI in a three-hour workshop, making it clear that talking about AI is not enough—it must be integrated into everyday operations.

On the future of urban strategies, Camilla Richter-Friis van Deurs presented Copenhagen’s approach: livability and competitiveness must be understood together. Vilnius is following a similar mindset, led by innovators like Deividas Jacka (Civinity), Domas Dargis and Laimonas Belickas, who believe in collaboration-driven innovation.

CityShift HUB – A New European Innovation Space

To close the day, Erika Kuročkina announced the launch of the CityShift.eu HUB. The platform aims to connect universities, startups, developers and city leaders, providing a shared experimental space for testing new technologies and urban models.

A New Foundation for Thinking

CityShift was more than a conference—it sparked a genuine shift in perspective. Traditional industry boundaries dissolved, and all stakeholders—developers, startups, city leaders, operators—spoke a common language about the future of cities and buildings.

One key message of the event is worth remembering:
“Human is the new luxury.”

In the cities and buildings of the future, value will not be defined by square meters, but by experience, connection and adaptability. Human-centered thinking and technology together shape the new urban DNA upon which Europe can build in the decade ahead.

You can meet the most innovative Lithuanian tech companies at the Proptech Hungary Conference, where we will welcome them as guests in May.

Follow our page on Facebook and LinkedIn!