Launched at the beginning of 2021, the "Smart East" project aims to transform a heterogeneous commercial area in Karlsruhe into a smart, climate-friendly neighborhood with the help of digitization concepts. To this end, the neighborhood will be equipped with information and communication technologies as well as cross-neighborhood energy management to enable effective solutions for consumers and energy producers. To fulfill this promise, for example, fluctuations in the supply and demand of renewable energy sources will be regulated with the help of smart grids. Thanks to its innovative design, Smart East is to become a model for future neighborhoods and help potential users establish the new models. Collaborative partners in this three-year project are the Forschungszentrum Informatik (FZI), Stadtwerke Karlsruhe GmbH, KIT, and the IT company Seven2one Informationssysteme GmbH.