City of Johannesburg, calls on tech startups to apply for Smart City Innovation Challenge 2020

City of Johannesburg in collaboration with Tshimologong Innovation Precinct is calling on innovative tech startups to apply for this year’s Smart City Innovation Challenge.

Interested startups developing technologies that in response to the current COVID-19 can submit a proposal and a contingency plan on moving forward to smart city innovative solutions.

A statement by Smart City Innovation explained, “The lockdown protocols have ignited new thinking about the future of our City and its residents. Therefore, the Smart City Innovation Challenge aims to find and develop digital technology solutions that respond to urban and community challenges faced by the City of Johannesburg in the new normal resulting from Covid-19.”

The eligibility criteria of applicants proposals are as follows:

• The solution should focus on saving lives through the means of improved detection, tracking, and prediction of the spread of the virus along with enhancing communication and improving healthcare and security in the city.

• Applicants must provide a solution based on supporting livelihood. The developed solution should target residents of the city and improve livelihoods by either reducing vulnerability, improving food security, and uphold human dignity.

Smart City Office Leader, Lawrence Boya said, “This innovation call is an opportunity for innovators of our City to bring forward their innovative solutions to help our City respond in a smarter way to challenges posed by Covid-19. We also hope to use this initiative to help to grow innovation in Joburg and thus make Joburg the Leading African City of Innovation.”

At the end of the challenge, two applicants will emerge winners and will be awarded a  prototype grant worth R100,000. Furthermore,  winners will be assisted through a rapid development and prototype launching process through a virtual boot camp with access to mentors which will be followed by further funding opportunities to implement one solution.

This initiative is a collaborative effort between start-ups, corporate companies, investors, hubs, maker spaces, and the government brought to you by the City of Johannesburg’s Smart City Office.

The application ends on July 20, 2020.