Fortaleza is one of 10 cities pre-selected for the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge.

Fortaleza was announced on Wednesday (08/11) as one of the 10 cities selected ahead of the Sustainable Cities Challenge, funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and designed in collaboration with Challenge Works and the World Resources Institute. The Global Urban Mobility Challenge was launched in June this year and supports innovations that aim to transform the lives of millions of people around the world in the following areas: expanding access to safe, accessible and inclusive modes of transport; Using data to create connected and flexible mobility systems; and reducing environmental impact through renewable and low-carbon solutions.

“We have been selected among 150 municipalities from 46 registered countries. This is a true recognition of our successful policy, which has been reducing the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents every year. Our partnership with international organizations and our modern laws on innovation and mobility are further highlighted”, Mayor José Sarto highlighted. .

More than 200 proposals from 150 cities around the world were evaluated considering the following criteria: impact, relevance to the problem, open innovation approaches, capacity within the city and focus of application. Apart from Fortaleza, pre-selected cities are: Bangalore (India), Detroit (USA), Medellin (Colombia), Mexico City (Mexico), New Orleans (USA), Seberang Perai (Malaysia), Varanasi (India). ), Venice (Italy), York (United Kingdom). The proposal presented by Fortaleza was designed by the Fortaleza Innovation Laboratory (Labifor/Citinova) in collaboration with the Secretariat of Municipal Security and Public Services (SCSP) and seeks sustainable solutions to expand access to the public transport system for low-income communities.

“This shortlist shows how cities of all sizes around the world are facing widespread mobility challenges. “We can see how these cities are already making efforts to improve their transportation systems, and we’re excited to begin directly supporting them in the next phase of the Sustainable Cities Challenge,” said Ryan Clem, Program Director, Toyota Mobility Foundation.

Of these 10 shortlisted cities, three cities will be selected to launch their own City Challenges, which will receive up to US$9 million in support over a two-year period. Innovators can be local or anywhere in the world, but with solutions tailored to winning cities.

“These cities highlighted a variety of areas where the innovation movement has the potential to make systems more sustainable, resilient and accessible. The Sustainable Cities Challenge will bring together cities and innovators with city residents to adapt solutions to real-world challenges through open innovation,” said Kathy Nothstein, President of Cities of the Future at Challenge Works.

“By making transportation systems safe, sustainable, and accessible, cities can improve access to jobs and education and improve people’s health. The Sustainable Cities Challenge will help improve the quality of life for people living in cities around the world,” said Ben Welle, Director of Integrated Transportation and Innovation at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities.

In this second phase, Fortaleza will participate in the training and receive support to develop a project adapted to its challenge, becoming part of a wider network of innovative groups. If the city is selected among the top three, the City Hall team will work with local actors, area technologists and the population to find the best ways to develop and improve Fortaleza’s mobility systems.

“The aim of the challenge is to encourage innovative ideas to improve mobility in large cities. Our project proposes to improve access to quality public transport for the most vulnerable people. Studies show that between 20% and 25% of the income family. People with low incomes are consumed by transport costs,” said Fortaleza Science, Technology and Luis Alberto Savoia, President of the Innovation Foundation (CITINOA) spoke. Among the factors that benefited Fortaleza in the selection, Sabóia highlights the ability to work with companies, universities and research centers such as the European Union, Bloomberg, the German Cooperation Agency and Johns Hopkins University; Developments in municipal legislation, with the creation of the Fortaleza Innovation Laboratory (Labifor/Citinova) and the approval of the Fortaleza Innovation and Technological Development Policy (InovaFor) and the Municipal Sustainable Urban Mobility Policy.

About the Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) was created by Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) in August 2014 and supports the development of a mobile society where everyone can move freely. The foundation underscores Toyota’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and respect for people. It leverages Toyota’s expertise and technologies to strongly support mobility systems, eliminating mobility imbalances. TMF works with universities, governments, non-profits, research institutes and other organizations to develop programs aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address mobility issues around the world. Previously, TMF has led several challenges including Global Mobility Unlimited Challenge, CATCH in Malaysia, InoveMob Challenge in Brazil and STAMP Challenge in India. You can learn more about the TMF and how it is administered at toyotamobilityfoundation.org.

About the challenge missions

Challenge Works is a global leader in open innovation projects and challenges that inspire diverse innovative thinkers to solve pressing problems and unlock change. The most promising solutions are rewarded with seed funding and expert support, while the best or fastest innovations win the grand prize. This approach levels the playing field for innovators of any background or experience to apply their ingenuity to social impact. Founded by Nesta, the UK’s innovation foundation for social welfare, Challenge Works is a social enterprise that has launched 87 challenges to date and distributed more than £124 million to successful innovators. Visit them at challengeworks.org.

About the World Resources Institute

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research institute with offices in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, as well as regional offices for Africa and Europe. WRI’s 1,700 employees work with partners to develop practical solutions that improve people’s lives and sustain nature’s growth. Learn more: WRI.org and X (@WorldResources).