The Toyota Mobility Foundation has announced the 10 semi-finalists for its Sustainable Cities Challenge in Venice, Italy.
The move is part of the two-stage, three-year $9 million global initiative which also involves Detroit in the US and Varanasi in India - each city has $3 million in grants to award to projects that they think will solve specific transportation problems.
In the famous water-based Italian city, which is a magnet for international tourism, entrants were evaluated for their potential to change citizen behaviour by increasing active mobility, public transport use and use of shared mobility.
The firms will each receive a $50,000 implementation grant to help them refine and localise their solutions to drive the use and adoption of existing low and zero-carbon transport modes in Venice.
"With these 10 semi-finalists now selected, we are excited to join forces with global innovators to explore sustainable transport solutions for the people of Venice," said Monica Perez Lobo, director at Toyota Mobility Foundation Europe.
"We understand that changing established behaviours and daily habits, especially in transportation, can be challenging. However, even small changes made by many can significantly reduce carbon emissions and enhance the livability of our cities. We hope that the outcome of this challenge will inspire other cities worldwide to adopt similar practices, helping them overcome their own challenges on the path to a sustainable future."
The Venice semi-finalists include companies which try to nudge travellers into taking more sustainable means of travel than their private car.
For instance, Betterpoints and Factual Consulting both seek to reward citizens for switching from cars to more active modes;
Meanwhile digital mobility specialist Ioki has been chosen, along with Instant System, a Mobility as a Service provider which is already active in 100 cities and regions.
Click here for a full list of companies and projects.
Ben Welle, director of integrated transport and innovation at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, says: “The resulting innovations will directly benefit the people of Venice, and we hope these solutions can be applied to other cities worldwide, improving urban mobility on a broader scale.”
The 10 semi-finalists for the Detroit part of the challenge were announced last month.
They were taken forward to the next stage based on their potential to reduce fossil fuel use, introduce innovative solutions for Eastern Market freight, demonstrate business adoption potential, showcase mature technology, as well as exhibit scalability and strong delivery capacity.
They range from Automotus, which uses AI cameras to automate kerb management, to Civilized Cycles, a Detroit-based design and engineering firm that builds light electric vehicles for commercial cargo transportation.
Ryan Klem, director of programs at the Toyota Mobility Foundation, explains: “These teams are tackling challenges in Eastern Market, an iconic and essential part of Detroit’s infrastructure, with innovative solutions that will benefit local businesses and the environment. We look forward to supporting their efforts as they develop approaches that could serve as a model for cities worldwide.”
In 2026, final awards will be given to winners in each host city to continue to implement and grow their solutions.
