The Smart Cities Expo World Congress, held in Barcelona since 2011, has been a beacon of urban innovation, annually gathering global leaders to share insights and advancements in creating smarter, greener, and more efficient urban spaces. In 2023, this prestigious event provided an ideal backdrop for the first annual "Digitalising NEB" event by digiNEB.eu, a hybrid experience dedicated to exploring the digital transformation of NEB. This convergence was more than just a meeting of minds; it was a powerful synergy of vision and action towards building sustainable and thriving urban futures. This post-event report summarises the main insights from the 1st "Digitalising NEB" event by digiNEB.eu.