Paris-based New Cities Foundation has opened applications for its Global Urban Innovators competition, searching for the world’s top startups using tech to address challenges in cities.
The Global Urban Innovators competition looks for cutting edge startups and social enterprises using technology to address urban challenges in four focus areas: urban mobility, urban infrastructure and services, health and wellness, and placemaking.
The top 15 most innovative applicants will be named the Global Urban Innovators of 2016, and will receive promotion and opportunities to showcase at events throughout the year, personalised mentorship, access to networks of investors, mayors, and civic organisations.
The top startups will also be invited to present their ideas at the annual New Cities Summit.
The organisers said this year they hope to encourage more applications from across the world.
“We are really hoping to have applicants representing diverse regions of the world and confronting a variety of urban issues in order to identify startups that are making a big difference to urban living, and to help transfer these ideas to improve other cities faced with similar issues,” Naureen Kabir Collings, director of urban innovation and research at New Cities Foundation told Disrupt Africa.
“Through the Global Urban Innovators initiative we hope to demonstrate that technology and innovation in entrepreneurship plays a big role in making better, more liveable cities. Our role is going to be supporting startups and social enterprises to engage them in activities and networks that will help grow the innovation and speed up the process of transferring good ideas and positive impacts to as many cities as possible.”
Applications can be made here, until December 23.
