- The Vicenza-based ESCo accelerates on smart cities and focuses on smart mobility
- With the second M&A operation of 2024, Italy’s leading private public lighting operator aims to become the preferred partner for public administrations in energy efficiency
- With Smart Parking Systems, it brings a history of excellence: from the largest international smart parking installation in 2020-2021 to the project implemented in Treviso, Italy’s most awarded smart city
Vicenza, September 12, 2024 – City Green Light is investing in urban innovation by acquiring Smart Parking Systems. With this move, the group led by Alessandro Visentin reaffirms its role as a catalyst for innovation, particularly in urban transport management, and confirms its commitment to developing advanced technological solutions to support local administrations in the transition to future mobility. This is achieved through a highly efficient and customized, data-driven approach.
Originating from the spin-off of Intercomp’s smart parking business unit, Smart Parking Systems specializes in the development of technologies for parking and public space management: from parking enforcement to reporting, maintenance to planning. The company currently has experience managing approximately 15,000 spaces in over 80 locations across municipalities and businesses.
This is the second M&A operation of 2024 for the Vicenza-based ESCo, Italy’s leading private public lighting operator, which had previously acquired Termotecnica Sebina in March, enhancing its portfolio of building efficiency solutions.
With Smart Parking Systems, City Green Light aims to continue its growth and consolidation in the field of energy efficiency services, as outlined in its industrial plan. The goal is to transform the company into the preferred partner for public administrations and large enterprises in providing smart and comprehensive energy efficiency solutions, not only in public lighting.
“The acquisition of Smart Parking Systems represents the fourth step in a comprehensive growth plan initiated in 2023, as outlined in City Green Light’s industrial plan. This plan aims to increase the company’s competitiveness in energy efficiency services through targeted M&A strategies, which will continue throughout the year. We aim to expand the company’s areas of expertise to offer public and private entities a single partner capable of managing all aspects related to the optimization and rationalization of urban resource management” emphasizes Arturo D’Atri, Business Development Director of City Green Light.
“This operation is a significant step in City Green Light’s expansion strategy, demonstrating the company’s ability to address major challenges related to digitalization and efficiency, and its commitment to providing cutting-edge technological solutions. The issue of smart mobility is considered highly important by 83% of Italian municipalities with populations over 15,000, as noted by the Politecnico di Milano’s Connected Car & Mobility 2023 Observatory” states Alessandro Visentin, CEO of City Green Light.
Throughout 2023, the development of smart road and smart infrastructure projects has seen strong acceleration both in Italy and internationally. Notably, of the 258 projects tracked globally since 2015 by the Politecnico di Milano’s Connected Car & Mobility Observatory, 141 were launched in 2022-2023 (2023: 70; 2022: 71, +48% vs 2021). In Italy 19 initiatives have been activated in the past three years, demonstrating the country’s commitment and interest in this area.
Among the most notable case studies by Smart Parking Systems is the project implemented in Treviso, where smart parking management allowed more permits to be issued to residents without increasing the number of fines and reduced the minimum fee while keeping the number of available spaces unchanged.
Other significant recent projects in Italy include installations in Cantù (CO) with approximately 700 paid parking spaces and in Cagliari with 1,000 spaces to improve resident parking usability, with plans for further expansion.
Internationally, a standout project is in Pafos, Cyprus, where the largest international smart parking installation of 2020-2021 was completed with over 3,000 spaces to manage summer peak periods.
City Green Light was advised by Deloitte Legal S.t.A. r.l. S.B., with legal support from Stefano Cirino Pomicino, Letizia Ummarino, and Gabriele Giaccari for Corporate – M&A aspects, Francesco Paolo Bello and Sebastiano Berardino Santarelli for administrative law aspects, and Alessandra Maniglio and Federico Pisani for labor law aspects. Intercomp was advised by Osborne Clarke, with a team led by Partner Giovanni Penzo and Associate Myriam Ambrosio for M&A aspects, and Partner Giorgio Lezzi and Associate Federico Milani for administrative law aspects.
ABOUT CITY GREEN LIGHT
City Green Light is an Energy Service Company (E.S.Co) specializing in energy savings and efficiency, backed by leading national and international investment funds focused on the sector. The company stands out as a national leader in innovation and the Green Economy, offering robust development models for energy efficiency and smart services aimed at guiding Public Administrations and Businesses through ecological, energy, and digital transitions. Currently, City Green Light operates in over 330 municipalities across Italy, serving approximately 6 million citizens.
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