Tech entrepreneurs tackle London's challenges as part of the mayor's smart roadmap for the capital. The new Civic Innovation Challenge (CIC) is an initiative that aims to match start-ups and SMEs with leading corporates and public organizations to solve some of UK capital’s biggest challenges. Fourteen tech start-ups have been shortlisted in a competition to come up with innovative solutions to some of London’s most pressing social and environmental problems including housing, dementia and isolation.
Later this year, the final seven – one for each challenge – will each be awarded 15 000 Pounds to jointly test and refine their ideas with a group of corporate partners. The seven challenges are – Dementia: ensuring dementia care works for all; Active travel: reducing pollution and unnecessary car journeys; Electric vehicles: preparing London for zero-emission transport; Affordable housing: ensuring genuinely affordable housing is available for all; Financial inclusion: helping families struggling on low incomes; Loneliness and isolation: making London the most socially-integrated city in the world; and Physical activity: making London the most physically active city in the world.
