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Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice

Embracing Sustainable Mobility

We are looking for innovators to create solutions that increase the use of existing low and zero-carbon transport modes in the city of Venice. 

Entries for this Challenge are now closed.

About the Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice

Venice train track overlay-ed on streets

We are calling on entrants to:

We are calling on entrants to:  
Create innovative solutions that change behaviour, increasing the use and adoption of existing low and zero-carbon transport modes in the city of Venice, with a focus on the mainland and motorized islands. 

Solutions must address at least one of the following:

  • Increasing active mobility 
  • Increasing public transport use 
  • Increasing usage of shared mobility   

Any proposed solution must take into account the motivational aspect of behaviour change.

How can we embrace a more sustainable tomorrow through innovative solutions that support behaviour change?

We are supporting innovators to develop solutions by providing:

  • Up to ten $50,000 implementation grants in the semi-finalist stage
  • Up to five $130,000 implementation grants in the finalist stage
  • $1.5 million final implementation funding, to be shared among up to 3 winners 
  • The opportunity to engage directly with city officers
  • Access to various stakeholders such as local mobility providers
  • Access to a network of like-minded innovators
  • Access to capacity building support in behaviour change, mobility and related topics

All funding must be used to tailor, test and demonstrate solutions in the City of Venice, with final funding used for the implementation of solutions in the city.

Bikers in Mestre overlayed on Mestre tram
Cyclist overlayed on Mestre city

Why do we want to innovate in the City of Venice?

The City of Venice is an iconic Italian port and one of the world’s oldest tourist and cultural centers. It is made up of the historic city of Venice and mainland urban areas such as Mestre and Marghera.

Venice has invested in developing an impressive range of sustainable mobility options, that include water, land, and railway. A few highlights:

  • A growing 180 km local bike lane network
  • A pioneering hybrid car-sharing service, the first of its kind in Italy
  • Widespread shared micro mobility services
  • An extensive public transport system via water, land, and railway, which is being made ever more sustainable with 30 new electric buses and plans for 44 more, along with 90 fuel cell buses by 2026.
  • An expected 32 hybrid water buses in Venice’s waterways by 2029

However, this diverse range of low to zero-carbon modes of transport is currently underutilized.

The City of Venice is looking for innovative solutions that shift behaviour, focusing on understanding users’ motivations rather than tech, infrastructure or government policy. 

Timeline

 Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice is now open for entries! 

Tuesday 11 June 2024

Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice launches

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Monday 30 September 2024

Entries close

November 2024

Semi-finalist announcement

April 2025

Finalist announcement

Early 2026

Winner's announcement

Participation requirements

Eligible entries that best meet the judging criteria will be invited to participate in and progress through the Challenge.

Eligibility

Entries that do not meet the following criteria are not eligible for the Challenge.

  • The solution must be tailored specifically for and implemented within the City of Venice
  • Entrants can be single organizations or consortia.  
  • Teams that enter as a consortium must nominate one organization as the lead entrant. The lead entrant will enter into contracts and receive funding from the Toyota Mobility Foundation.  
  • Entrants must be established as a legally incorporated organization to enter.  
  • The challenge is open to innovators worldwide but entries must be in English.  
  • Successful entrants must be willing and able to travel to Venice as there will be expectations for on-the-ground presence during the next stage of the Challenge.  
Entrants must own or be licensed to use relevant intellectual property included in their entries.

Entrants must own or be licensed to use relevant intellectual property included in their entries. If your entry proposes a new idea, we expect that you will own all the resulting intellectual property, which may be registered on a local basis if you become a successful participant in the Challenge. The Challenge would not be able to give you specific legal advice on the protection or exploitation of intellectual property.

Judging Criteria

The following judging criteria will be used to evaluate the suitability of an entry for the Challenge and its potential for impact.

Innovation

The solution offers an innovative approach to improving Venice residents’ motivation to choose and adopt low to zero-carbon modes of transportation for part or all of their everyday travel within the city. The solution can be brand-new or adapted from other contexts to suit the local context.

Impact

The solution significantly and tangibly increases the adoption and use of low to zero carbon transportation modes by Venice residents in their everyday journeys around the city.

Usability

The solution continuously engages with its target users. Based on the insights and understanding gained, the solution addresses the needs, preferences, and behaviors of its target user groups. 

Viability

The solution is viable and sustainable beyond the lifespan of the Challenge. The solution has the potential to scale or to be replicated in other contexts.

Team Capacity

The innovator team has the capacity and wider resources to develop and demonstrate their solution within the Challenge timeframe. 

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