Intel has announced an initiative to fund research into smart city technology at University College London and Imperial College.

Yesterday, at 10 Downing Street, the company launched the Intel Collaborative Research Institute for Sustainable Connected Cities.

Intel will fund research positions at the two universities, to "address the social, economic, and environmental challenges of city life with computing technology, helping to provide practical solutions to problems ranging from droughts and long commute times to wasteful use of energy," it said.

"Using London as a test bed, researchers will explore technologies to make cities more aware by harnessing real-time user and city infrastructure data," the company said.

Unlike Cisco’s Future Cities Centre, in which UCL and Imperial College are also partners, the Intel institute will not have a physical location.

Dr Anna Clark, director of corporate partnerships at UCL, explained the difference between the two initiatives today.

"Cisco is focussed on innovation around Shoreditch and Tech City, and their research is much closer to the market," she said. "The idea is to put UCL and Imperial researchers in the heart of Tech City."

Cisco has identified a Shoreditch-based location for the Future Cities Centre, she revealed, and it is currently being fitted out.

"Intel’s intention is to establish a longer-lead research institute shared between UCL and Imperial," she explained.

"They are complementary initiatives," Clark said. "They are both part of a London community focused on the future of cities."

Clark added that there are "lots more" similar corporate partnership initiatives in the pipeline.