UN-Habitat and Sweden are pleased to announce the innovative companies that will demonstrate cleantech solutions in four world cities. A total of 45 finalists have been selected to work with stakeholders from the four cities in the Climate Smart Cities Challenge.
The finalists, among them Swedish companies like Nudgd and Greater than, were selected from nearly 200 proposals that were reviewed by an expert advisory panel, the cities and the Climate Smart Cities Challenge partners.
Applications were evaluated based on three criteria: whether they were ready to be demonstrated in a real-world environment, well-suited to join a team and have great potential to achieve impact.
The solutions proposed by teams of innovators will tackle specific challenges in four cities – Bogotá, Bristol, Curitiba and Makindye Ssabagabo- such as freight mobility and affordable housing.
– It is crucial to rethink the way we design, manage, and plan our cities, to enable them to perform in a way that contributes to meeting the target of a carbon-free world. The Climate Smart Cities Challenge provides a platform for collaboration and co-creation, to find innovative solutions that contribute to a better urban future.” said UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif.
– Cities and communities are central to achieving the necessary climate transition, which is why initiatives such as the Climate Smart Cities Challenge are important to contribute to climate neutrality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through innovative solutions”, said Darja Isaksson Director General of Vinnova – Sweden’s Innovation Agency.
Over the next four months, finalists will be able to work with city stakeholders to fine-tune solutions, adapt to the city context, and form relationships among other finalists to build towards creating a team of complementary partners.
In June 2022, up to four winning teams will be announced at the World Urban Forum in Katowice, Poland. 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.
