Imagine the Metaverse: Urban Shark Tank 2024

Imagine the Metaverse: Urban Shark Tank 2024

Imagine a convergence of minds, ideas, and possibilities – the Imagine the metaverse event in Tampere was that nexus from July 11-12, 2024. For professionals driving industry evolution, business leaders seeking the cutting edge, city planners shaping urban landscapes, and experts in the experience economy, this is where horizons expand. In this Urban Shark Tank edition, we dig into innovative digital urban solutions worldwide that promise to transform our urban landscapes.


Meet the Urban 'Sharks' ??

Our replicability panel, featuring urban experts known as our ‘Sharks’, evaluated each solution based on its innovative features and its potential for widespread implementation in various urban settings. Each ‘Shark’ contributed extensive experience and a distinct viewpoint on what constitutes a truly transformative and broadly applicable mobility solution. They thoroughly examined each project’s scalability and adaptability to different urban environments, taking into account the significant challenges cities encounter when implementing new innovations. Their comprehensive assessments ensure that the featured solutions can effectively address the diverse needs and intricacies of urban development globally.


Susana Reyes , Commissioner of Public Works, City of Los Angeles, US

With a rich background in civic engagement and community outreach, Susana Reyes was appointed to the Public Works Board of Commissioners on April 27, 2022, through a unanimous City Council vote. Prior to this, she served on the Board of Commissioners of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), becoming the first retiree and Filipino-American Vice President of the Board. As the Founder and CEO of AgilEngines LLC, Susana leverages over 32 years of experience working in various capacities within the City of Los Angeles, including her role as Director of Low-Income Customer Access at LADWP, where she ensured equitable access to financial assistance and efficiency programs. Her career highlights also include helping implement the first Sustainable City Plan as a Senior Sustainability Analyst in the Office of L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti. Susana’s dedication to community engagement and sustainable development is evident through her leadership and volunteer work with the Sierra Club, where she has served as Vice President and on the Executive Board. Her work emphasises creating equitable and eco-friendly initiatives that benefit both the environment and the well-being of Los Angeles residents.


Teppo Rantanen , Executive Director, City of Tampere, Finland

Teppo Rantanen brings a wealth of knowledge and inspiration from the City of Tampere in Finland, where he motivates every citizen to contribute their best towards creating social impact. His expertise lies in big-city development, international affairs, and innovation policy. Teppo’s work focuses on driving transformational changes through strategic initiatives and community involvement, aiming to make Tampere a model city for sustainable urban development. By fostering an environment where innovation thrives, he helps ensure that the city continues to evolve and improve, benefiting both its residents and the broader global community.


Bas Boorsma , Founder, Urban Innovators Global, Professor of Practice, Thunderbird School of Management, Former CDO of Rotterdam, Netherlands

With a deep expertise in urban innovation and Smart City development, Bas Boorsma serves as an influential figure in the realm of digital transformation. As the former Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of Rotterdam, Bas played a crucial role in integrating advanced technologies into the city’s urban planning and development, driving significant improvements in its digital infrastructure. He currently holds a prominent position at Thunderbird School of Global Management, where he continues to guide the integration of technology in urban environments. Bas’s extensive background includes leadership roles in the private sector, where he focused on harnessing technology to enhance urban living. His commitment to fostering smart, sustainable cities is reflected in his work, which aims to improve the quality of life for citizens through innovative solutions and strategic urban planning. Bas’s efforts underscore the importance of leveraging technology to create efficient, resilient, and inclusive urban environments.


Who are the 'Fish'? ??

The finalists, our ‘Fish,’ have shown remarkable dedication and an innovative approach to addressing some of the most urgent urban challenges through digital transformation. Their projects, marked by innovation, sustainability, and a user-focused design, were assessed for their potential to transform daily commutes, improve quality of life, and enhance the environmental resilience of cities worldwide.


Commu App

Ronnie Nygren , CEO & Tech at Commu App, came to the stage and presented the social impact platform designed to bridge the gap between those in need of help and those eager to provide it, both at home and at work. By fostering easy and safe interactions, Commu enhances communality and addresses significant social issues, such as loneliness, which costs employees in Europe €154 billion annually.

In this edition of the Urban Shark Tank, Commu App showcased their innovative use case, “Neighborhood Helping in Kristinestad - Stronger Communities, Less Loneliness with Commu App.” This initiative highlights how the app strengthens community bonds and mitigates loneliness, demonstrating its profound potential to create more connected and supportive urban environments.


PayiQ

Next on stage was Elena Lipchenko CEO at PayiQ , to present their innovative project, “GreenImpact - Measuring Carbon Footprint, Rewarding Sustainability, Enabling Seamless Payment.” With a decade of experience in the fare collection business, PayiQ aims to encourage mass transit use and reduce CO2 emissions through their award-winning Ticketing as a Service platform and mobile apps. Their technology not only facilitates easy and safe ticket purchases but also nudges users towards low-carbon mobility options, positively influencing travel behaviour.

GreenImpact provides comprehensive CO2 and mobility insights from over 10 modes of transport, offering a gamified experience with climate coins to encourage users towards carbon-neutral mobility and living. This solution has been successfully integrated into the F?li transport fare collection app, making it simple for users to adopt sustainable travel practices. PayiQ’s mission is to support cities and corporations in achieving their carbon neutrality targets, improving air quality, and enhancing overall well-being.


Contrasec

Next on stage was Ilari Mikkonen , the Director of Contrasec . This forward-thinking company specialises in future-compliant, standards-based, and interoperable IoT solutions tailored for Smart Cities, mobility communities, utilities, industries, facilities, and companies. Contrasec's offerings range from DIY Proof of Concept projects to highly available regionally distributed production systems. They provide ICT infrastructure services, project expertise, and comprehensive training and consulting in the information security sector, leveraging experience accumulated since 2001.

They showcased the project, “Bike Sharing Availability Optimisation,” Contrasec demonstrated how their solutions enhance urban mobility. This project, focused on optimising bike-sharing systems, aims to improve bike availability and ensure seamless user experiences.


xChi (SoundxVision)

Dipanjan Das , Co-Founder, came onto the stage to present xChi SoundxVision ’s groundbreaking project, “AI Tour Guide.” xChi specializes in developing XR hardware and interfaces that transform micro gestures into meaningful inputs for extended reality. Their range of products and services is tailored to meet individual needs, with licensing options that enable businesses and developers to leverage their advanced technology.

The “AI Tour Guide” project showcased xChi’s innovative use of AI and XR to enhance the tourism experience. This technology provides visitors with interactive, real-time information and guidance, creating a more engaging and informative journey through tourist attractions. By turning subtle gestures into seamless interactions, xChi’s solution not only enriches the user experience but also offers businesses new ways to connect with and captivate their audience. This project highlights the potential of xChi’s technology to revolutionize how we explore and interact with our surroundings.


And the winner is...

As the last round of applause ceases, the audience plays a pivotal role in determining the outcome, and the power to decide the winner is placed directly in the hands of those in attendance. Attendees were invited to cast their votes for the most innovative, scalable, and impactful solution presented on stage, using a QR code displayed on the main screen.

The result? After a tied round of votes, the winner was PayiQ with their project "GreenImpact - Measuring Carbon Footprint, Rewarding Sustainability, Enabling Seamless Payment."!

Their solutions not only captivated our audience but also their ability to integrate advanced technology with user engagement, promoting sustainable travel practices and significantly contributing to environmental sustainability. In recognition of their innovative contributions, the winner goes with unique insights into your approach to addressing cities’ needs, tickets for the Smart City Expo World Congress 2024 and 6 months of direct access to Smart City procurement all across Europe.



Urban Shark Tank isn't just a platform for pitch competitions; it's a space for collaboration, inspiration, and actionable partnerships. Through this event, the aim was to foster a vibrant ecosystem of innovation where cities and visionary companies work together to co-create a more sustainable future.


Interested in having Urban Shark Tank at your event? Are you a company that wants to take part in the next edition of Urban Shark Tank? Follow BABLE Smart Cities and create a free profile on the BABLE platform to make sure not to miss any opportunities!

Tamlyn Shimizu

Global Partnerships & Communications Lead @ BABLE Smart Cities | Global Ambassador @ BLOXHUB | Urban Innovators Global | Podcast Host @ Smart in the City | Accelerating Change for Smart & Climate-Neutral Cities

4 个月

Big thank you to the team at Tampereen kaupunki - City of Tampere / Imagine the metaverse for having us and another edition of Urban Shark Tank!

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