Like many German city centers, the city center of Worms has been experiencing structural changes not only since the COVID-19 pandemic. The particular challenge is to rethink and consider more comprehensively the concept of the city center, which has hitherto been predominantly characterized by retail and gastronomy. The project "Worms wird Wow" ("Worms becomes Wow"), funded by resources from the federal program "Zukunftsfähige Innenstädte und Zentren" ("Sustainable Inner Cities and Centers") of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), deals with the Worms city center of tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. The focus of the inner-city future visions is particularly on managing vacancies, improving the quality of stay in the inner-city area, and providing low-threshold digital offers. In addition to creating Wi-Fi hotspots, a new "City App" is to be developed as part of the digitization measures. The app will be technically implemented by KOBIL, the Worms-based specialist for digital security and identity solutions.

The possibilities that the new app is intended to offer were presented by Lord Mayor Adolf Kessel, Ismet Koyun, CEO and founder of KOBIL, Dr. Stefan Puderbach, Head of the Digitalization and E-Government Department, and Heike Landwehr, Project Manager of the Worms City Administration, now at Worms City Hall. The app, with the meaningful name "KOBIL myCity Worms," is intended to provide the opportunity to centralize all digital offers of the city - from municipal services to transportation options to culture, education, and shopping - on one platform and make them centrally accessible to users in the future. The aim is to simplify people's daily lives by providing the app with all the important services needed in modern everyday life. For private companies, the "OneApp4All" offers new opportunities to expand their services and grow their business activities. The Smart City App guarantees the highest security standards for users - including secure communication, protected payment transactions, and a secure digital identity for all users. Compliance with German security standards is a prerequisite for implementing such a project, emphasizes KOBIL project manager Jan Wunderlich. Ismet Koyun, CEO and founder of KOBIL, is pleased with the cooperation with the city: "To master the digital transformation, cities need strong partners. I am proud that our company's hometown of Worms is taking the initiative and is the first German city to take this important step with us." Adolf Kessel, Lord Mayor of the City of Worms, adds: "We are pleased to have won KOBIL, an established specialist in IT security, as a partner for the Worms Smart City App. This innovative application not only paves the way for the city's residents but also for local businesses, the administration, and the entire region into a smart and connected future."

The basics for a requirements profile of the app were developed by representatives of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the university, the municipal economic development department, retail, gastronomy, city marketing, and city administration, thus covering a wide spectrum. The app is intended to benefit not only the citizens of Worms but also guests of our city, trade, and the Worms economy. For private users, the use of the app is free. They can use their digital identity, keep a digital wallet, and even digitally conclude contracts using electronic signatures. The app is also intended to act as a catalyst for the regional economy and start-ups: the possibility of integrating all existing digital offers into the Smart City platform makes it easy for companies to provide their services via the app and tap into new revenue potential.

For financing, "Worms wird Wow" ("Worms becomes Wow") contributes a low six-figure amount from the federal program "Zukunftsfähige Innenstädte und Zentren" ("Sustainable Inner Cities and Centers") of the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), but KOBIL also invests in the development.

About KOBIL

Since 1986, KOBIL GmbH has been revolutionizing security solutions as a leading technology provider. Offering cutting-edge solutions for application shielding, user authentication, transaction authorization, and more, KOBIL is a market pioneer in digital identity and mobile security management. With over 500 employees worldwide, KOBIL is trusted by 5000+stakeholders from banks to SMEs and start-ups. KOBIL plays a vital role in the development of new encryption standards and has been recognized as a sample vendorin five Gartner Hype Cycles. KOBIL's solutions are trusted by some of the world's largest organizations, including the German Government,Raiffeisen, Erste, ING, Airbus, DATEV, Migrosand Siemens.KOBIL's recent innovation uniting all identity talents within a SuperApp platform highlights its commitment to compliance and innovation. KOBIL GmbH is the most visionary and market-leading provider of secure data technology solutions, with over 100+ million end users benefiting from its solutions.

Further information:
KOBIL GmbH, Pfortenring 11, D-67547 Worms, Germany, E-Mail: hello@kobil.com