CO3 was a Horizon 2020 project that explored how digital tools could help public authorities and citizens co-create, co-produce and co-manage public services. Running from 2019 to 2021, it tested the use of blockchain, augmented reality, geolocated social networks, liquid democracy tools and gamification in civic and administrative processes.
The project’s approach was practical rather than theoretical. It set out to build a technological infrastructure for shared work between municipalities, associations and residents, with the FirstLife platform used as a central interface for coordination, discussion and data sharing. Among the functions tested were crowdsourced mapping, online deliberation and blockchain-based digital value tools such as coupons and discount vouchers. The project also examined how these technologies could support participation in decision-making and service delivery.
CO3 was piloted in three cities: Paris, Turin and Athens. These case studies were used to assess the social and cultural impact of the new model, as well as its economic implications and legal questions, including privacy and data protection. In this sense, the project was not only about introducing new tools, but also about measuring their limits and risks in public-sector use.
The project was led by the Department of Computer Science at the University of Turin. Its technical and institutional partners included the University of Turin, Fondazione LINKS, the Institut de Recherche et d’Innovation, Comune di Torino, Geomotion Games, Università degli Studi di Torino, and several partners in Germany, Greece, Spain and France. The project is closely associated with research by Claudio Schifanella, who coordinates the FirstLife and CommonsHood platforms in Turin.
CO3 ended in 2021, but its findings fed broader European debates on blockchain-enabled co-production and “government as a platform.”