VICTORIA – The South Island Prosperity Project (SIPP) Open Innovation Challenge received 69 quality submissions in its landmark opportunity to create ‘smart’ solutions for economic growth – and has pared those down to 10 finalists for the three $15,000 prizes.
If implemented, organizers expect these ideas to make the South Island a smarter, more liveable and sustainable place. This project is part of Smart South Island, a region-wide collaboration of stakeholders and local governments.
“We were very impressed with the number and quality of submissions. It’s gratifying to see so many people in our region interested in making this a better place to live”, said Emilie de Rosenroll, Chief Executive Officer of SIPP,
“We view this as an ideal way to engage our community in ways to solve the challenges we face as a region. It aligns with our mission to facilitate and promote the development of a strong and diverse economy on South Vancouver Island”.
SIPP is leading the South Island region’s participation in the Canadian Smart Cities Competition, competing for $10 million in Federal funding.
“These Innovation Challenge submissions represent a deep understanding of our future sustainable prosperity,” de Rosenrol says. “They will contribute to creating innovation within the Smart South Island key priority areas of: Transportation and Mobility, Housing and Affordability, Human Health, Environmental Heath, and Economic Resilience and Inclusion.”
An adjudication committee, headed up by Jamie VanDenbossche, Associate Director of Camosun Innovates, selected the 10 finalists from the 69 submissions. The finalists will present their concepts at a free public event on March 11 at the University of Victoria.
Finalists are:
- Victoria Carpool Program
- Harvesting Abundance in the Urban Orchard
- LAVA: Leisure Access Victoria App
- South Island Food Processing and Distribution Facility
- Green City Initiative: Leveraging Analytics to Drive a Green City
- HomePod: Personal Mobile Homeless Shelter
- The AIM Project – Providing Equality Access for All
- ElderConnect Wellness Navigation System
- Nal-Pal: Notification for Naloxone Volunteers
- CABOOST – an ‘out-of-the-bike’ innovation.
Three winners will be chosen from the finalists to receive $15,000 to support their plan.
The public is encouraged to attend the Smart South Island Innovation Challenge event at Flury Hall, in the Bob Wright Building at the University of Victoria on Sunday, March 11th, at 2:00 pm. The event is free to the public, and attendees will be given the opportunity to vote for their favourite presentations.
