28 Sep 2022
Nairobi, Stockholm, September 28, 2022 — UN-Habitat and Sweden are pleased to announce the four winning teams of the Climate Smart Cities Challenge that will demonstrate cleantech solutions in four world cities.
Launched in November 2021, the Climate Smart Cities Challenge is an open innovation competition to identify climate smart solutions and reduce the climate impact of Bogotá, Colombia; Bristol, United Kingdom; Curitiba, Brazil; and Makindye Ssabagabo, Uganda while creating a better future for all.
For the past months 45 finalists worked on coming together as teams to propose combined and collaborative solutions to each of the unique challenges in the participating cities. At the end of a co-creation phase a total of 12 teams prepared submissions and presented their ideas and in a series of pitching sessions in front of city representatives.
An expert advisory panel evaluated the team submissions and made their expert recommendations to the cities who have decided on the 4 winning teams.
The solutions proposed by these teams of innovators will tackle specific challenges in the four participating cities – Bogotá, Bristol, Curitiba and Makindye Ssabagabo– such as freight mobility and affordable housing.
“Cities are crucial for a successful transition to climate neutrality, and they can’t do it without the support of essential actors from civil society, academia, business and government. The Climate Smart Cities Challenge adopts a systems approach to address one of the most complex challenges we face today, to ensure a better future for all.” Said Rafael Tuts, Director, Global Solutions Division at UN-Habitat.
“The winning teams are now, together with the four cities, planning for system demonstrators. We have big hopes that this will direct system innovation efforts towards accelerating just transition to climate neutral cities, rather than incrementally improving the efficiency of how cities work today.” said Olga Kordas, Programme Manager of Swedish Strategic Innovation Programme, Viable Cities.
The winning teams will share up to 400,000 Euro in a planning phase to build towards demonstrating their solutions in the cities in 2023, with the ultimate aim of creating solutions that will create better futures in cities around the world.
Winning teams of the Climate Smart Cities Challenge will work with cities, investors and other partners to demonstrate new pathways and capabilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while also contributing to nature restoration, social justice, health, security, employment and other societal benefits.
The winning teams are:
● Green Routes – Bogotá, Colombia
DecisionBrain
ClearRoad
BeeMetrix
Accendo
SingulaCity
ZaiNar
● Thriving Places – Bristol, United Kingdom
Edaroth
Atkins
Igloo
Brighter Places
Microgrid foundry
Nodon
● Curitiba Smart Neighbourhoods – Curitiba, Brazil
AMA – Agentes do Meio Ambiente
Ambiente Livre
Nudgd
Smart Green Station
● Green Community Cities – Makindye Ssabagabo, Uganda
Eco Brixs
Marula Proteen
Impact Building Solutions Foundation (IBSF)
CLC Global
Impulser AB
Urban Planning Constellation
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All partners:
Viable Cities, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the Swedish Engineering Association (Teknikföretagen), Vinnova, Swedish Energy Agency, Office of the Mayor of Bogotá, Secretaries of Mobility and Environment, Bristol City Council & Bristol Housing Festival, IPPUC – Urban Planning and research Institute of Curitiba & Curitiba City Hall, Makindye Ssabagabo Municipal Council, ABB, Business Sweden, Ignite Sweden, Mission Innovation, Nesta Challenges, NIR, Scania, Sveriges AllmännaUtrikeshandelsförening (SAU), Swedish Export Credit Corporation (SEK), Smart City Sweden, Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, Swedish Institute and Swedish Secretariat for Expo 2020 Dubai.
Media Contacts:
For further details about the Climate Smart Cities Challenge and the winning teams contact Natalia Rodriguez natalia.rodriguezsalcedo@un.org
