This November local and international teams as well as individual participants will have 48 hours on their hands to create innovative solutions aimed at fostering cleaner and
safer mobility within urban areas with the help of industry experts and mentors during the 3rd Urban Mobility Hackathon.
As the transport sector accounts for a significant 30% of total CO2 emissions in cities, the urgency to address this challenge is clear. With global and European climate goals set in place, cities are rapidly moving towards digitalization to optimize their utilities. To tackle these challenges and find new solutions VEFRESH, in collaboration with Riga
Technical University, Riga City Council, LMT, and EIT Urban Mobility, is organizing the third Urban Mobility Hackathon scheduled to take place from November 29th to December 1st, 2023.
“Urban Mobility Hackathon has four goals. First, to offer you a chance to improve your product, test validate the product with mentors and city representatives, compete for substantial funding and, most important – build your team – your greatest asset in the startup world,” says Viesturs Celmiņš, Managing Director of VEFRESH.
Challenge areas for this year’s event encompass Urban Logistics, Energy and EV Charging, Smart Grid, 5G Mobility, and Data Management. Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate, find partners, and engage with mentors from technology and smart city companies, as well as municipalities, fostering invaluable industry connections.
“Participating in a mobility hackathon offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals and tackle real-world transportation challenges while working on creative problem-solving. It provides a platform to showcase your skills, gain recognition and career opportunities,” says Guntis Valters, LMT Head of Computer vision and Mobility business.
Moreover, participants will have the chance to connect with representatives from the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), opening doors to further opportunities in the innovation ecosystem. A key aspect of this hackathon is the early validation of ideas. Participants can leverage this validation to apply for the Urban Mobility Incubator Program set to launch in spring 2024.
This year, the prize pool stands at an impressive 10,000 Euros, providing added incentive for participants to showcase their creativity and problem-solving abilities. The Riga City Council has generously offered to pilot the most successful team’s solution in one of Riga’s neighborhoods, offering a real-world application and the potential for tangible impact.
“Riga City Council sees the usefulness of promoting the implementation of mobility hackathons. At each event, several teams with unique ideas emerge. These ideas create promising startups who are ready to solve urban challenges, such as SimpleCharge, Vuumly, Bruntor and others,” says Inese Andersone, Member of the Riga City Council, head of the City Development Committee.
Apply to the Urban Mobility Hackathon until 28th of November: www.urbanmobility.io
Be a part of the solution in driving cleaner and safer urban mobility. Join us this November to
collaborate, innovate, and make a lasting impact.
About VEFRESH
VEFRESH is an innovation movement from Latvia that facilitates solutions for better urban life. Movement’s goal – to establish a distinguished cultural hub for European-level innovation, serving as a breeding ground for pioneering ideas and globally recognized technological breakthroughs. The project is co-financed by EIT Urban Mobility, an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. EIT Urban Mobility aims to promote positive changes in mobility to make cities more livable. More information at www.eiturbanmobility.eu
source: VEFRESH
