Cristina Garrido: Rethinking Smart Cities from Buzzword to Better Living

In this episode of The Century of Cities, we're joined by Cristina Garrido, CEO of Anteverti, Deputy Curator of the Smart City Expo World Congress, and Founding Director of CitiesToBe.com, to unpack what truly makes a city "smart." From her childhood memories of 1980s Barcelona to leading global conversations on urban innovation, Cristina explains why technology alone isn't enough, and why people, governance, and fearless leadership must take center stage. She explores the evolution of the smart city concept, the rise (and pitfalls) of globalization, and why cities need "studio-like" spaces to experiment and fail forward. Cristina's vision for 2080 is clear: act now, innovate boldly, and always design with people at the core.