Have a solution to advance the City’s smart technology?
Image
Collaborate with industry leaders through
the Activate!Vaughan Smart City Challenge
The City of Vaughan is looking for groundbreaking smart city
solutions! A first-of-its-kind program in
Ontario, the Activate!Vaughan Smart City Challenge is calling on entrepreneurs, startups and scale-up
businesses to propose innovative smart city technologies to enhance the quality
of life in Vaughan and beyond.
The City, in
partnership with the province of Ontario, York Region, The HUB, Alectra
Utilities, Mackenzie Health, Mackenzie Innovation Institute (Mi2),
ventureLAB and Vaughan Public Libraries, is calling on entrepreneurs to pitch smart city solutions in four
challenge areas: Electric Mobility, Municipal Services Route Optimization,
Age-friendly Communities and Intelligent Placemaking. Applications are
open until Friday, March 5.
This is the third of
five challenges presented through the Activate!Vaughan innovation program.
The Smart City Challenge will kick off with a rapid scoping period launching
today. Ventures accepted to the program will be invited to access one-on-one
mentorship with industry experts beginning March 15. Participants will pitch
their ideas at a virtual pitch event the week of May 3, judged by industry
experts, for the opportunity to win up to $5,000 in provincial grant funding. A
total of $25,000 is available through the program.
All programming will be
delivered virtually throughout the following phases:
1. Reverse Pitch and Rapid Scoping
- Entrepreneurs must apply to be accepted to the program.
- Entrepreneurs gain access to reverse pitch videos by challenge partners to develop background knowledge relating to the challenge statements.
- Live Q and As with subject matter experts the week of Monday, March 8.
2. Expert Mentorship – Monday, March 15 to Friday, April 9
- Entrepreneurs will gain access to one-on-one mentorship from partners and business mentors.
3. Pitch Challenge – Entrepreneurs apply to be selected for final pitch by Friday, April 16
- Selected entrepreneurs will be invited to pitch their innovative smart city solutions to a panel of judges for the opportunity to win provincial grant funding and other prizes.
- Pitch challenges during the week of May 3.
4. Commercialization Program – May to August 2021
- Winning ventures from the pitch challenge will receive dedicated support, including specialized workshops and focused mentorship from experienced advisors. Selected ventures will also be invited to engage in deeper consultation with program partners regarding potential applications for their solution. Demo Day is scheduled for late August 2021.
The Activate!Vaughan
program is powered by the Province of Ontario through the Starter Company Plus
program. The continued support of innovation programs like Activate!Vaughan that
connect high-potential entrepreneurs to market-driven entrepreneurship
opportunities and mentorship from industry leaders aligns with the
City’s Economic and Cultural Development department’s Business Resilience
Plan.
The Business Resilience
Plan, which was presented to the City’s Ready, Resilient and Resourceful
Committee of Council on June 23, focuses on securing
Vaughan’s place as the Region’s largest employment centre, enhancing Vaughan’s
key strategic economic drivers like the city’s downtown commercial zone,
manufacturing and logistics, the health and tourism industries, and leveraging
public spaces by supporting community events and the arts community.
Programs like Activate!Vaughan
catalyze Vaughan’s economic prosperity, showcase its entrepreneurial spirit and
promote innovation – all priorities outlined in the Council-approved 2018-2022 Term of
Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan.
- 30 -