PA Urban challenge · Venice Closed
Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice
New ideas for getting around more sustainably.
- 180.000 $
- to develop and test the solution
- 500.000 $
- to each winning project
- 2
- winning solutions selected
Applications closed 30 September 2024 Winners announced June 2026
An international challenge created to increase the use of low- and zero-emission transport options already available in Venice, with particular focus on the mainland and the islands served by motorized transport.
Innovators, public administration and mobility operators worked together to develop and test solutions capable of concretely changing the habits of residents and visitors.
Benefits for innovators
Up to 180.000 $ to develop and test the solution
The challenge made available contributions of up to 50.000 dollars for up to ten semifinalists; further contributions of up to 130.000 dollars for up to five finalists; and final funding of 500.000 dollars for the implementation and growth of the winning solutions.
Testing in a real urban setting
Selected teams had the opportunity to adapt, test and demonstrate their solutions directly in the city of Venice.
- direct engagement with the city administration;
- access to local mobility operators;
- specialist support on mobility and behavior change;
- access to users, stakeholders and potential beneficiaries;
- entry into an international network of innovators;
- the chance to move solutions from testing to implementation.
Who it is for
The challenge was open to startups, companies, organizations and innovative teams from around the world, able to propose solutions already developed or ready to be tested in a complex urban setting.
Proposals had to address people's motivations and behavior, going beyond an approach based solely on technology, infrastructure or regulation.
Focus areas of the challenge
- Active mobility
- Encouraging trips on foot, by bicycle and through other active modes.
- Public transport
- Increasing adoption and usage of public transport services on land, water and rail.
- Shared mobility
- Promoting the use of car sharing, micromobility and other low-emission shared services.
How it works
- 01
International selection
The challenge collected proposals from international innovators, assessing their relevance, potential and applicability to the Venice context.
- 02
Solution development
Ten semifinalists received resources and support to adapt their proposals to the city's needs.
- 03
On-the-ground testing
Finalists tested their solutions with local users and stakeholders, gathering data and verifying their effectiveness.
- 04
Selection of winners
The solutions with the most promising results were selected to continue implementation and expand their impact in Venice.
Why Venice
Venice has a particularly complex mobility system, integrating land, rail and water transport, alongside cycle paths, car sharing and micromobility services.
The challenge was not to create new infrastructure, but to help people make greater use of the sustainable alternatives already in place, by understanding the motivations behind their everyday choices.
The results
The pilot led to the selection of two winning solutions:
- Bella Mossa
- Developed by BetterPoints, it uses gamification and local rewards to encourage more active and sustainable travel choices.
- Andemo
- Developed by OpenMove with Factual Consulting, it uses micro-incentives and digital tools to encourage new mobility habits.
A global challenge, developed with the city
Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice was promoted by the Toyota Mobility Foundation together with the Comune di Venezia, with the collaboration of Challenge Works and the World Resources Institute.
Venice was one of three cities selected worldwide, alongside Detroit and Varanasi, to test new models of sustainable urban mobility.
- 45.000
- car trips replaced by Bella Mossa
- 1.750
- downloads of Andemo during the pilot period
- 77%
- surveyed users reporting a better travel experience
- 500.000 $
- to each winning solution
Sustainable Cities Challenge Venice is a completed program. Applications closed on 30 September 2024 and the winners were announced in June 2026. The amounts, contributions and opportunities listed refer to the different phases of the challenge and do not represent funding currently available.