Second Open Call Challenges

The second CommuniCity Open Call for Applications expanded the first round by inviting the cities of Aarhus, Breda, Prague and Tallinn to join. These so-called Replicator Cities identified local needs and introduced these as additional challenges. In this round there is a possibility to apply for cross-border challenges. Up to nine pilots will be implemented in collaboration with 2-3 cities and there is additional budget available for executing cross-border pilots.

Below are the 20 challenges presented by the Partner and the Replicator cities. Since Forum Virium Helsinki awards the teams working together with the Replicator Cities, Helsinki Call Documents.

The second round is now closed

Aarhus Challenge 1: How can technology ease the process of setting up a bank account for foreigners?

International employees relocating to Denmark and taking up work with Danish based companies experience a lot of difficulties when setting up a bank account. Without a bank account, foreign workers cannot receive payment for their work as Danish companies are not permitted to pay out salary in cash. Additionally, the Danish companies risk being fined, if they do not pay out the salaries in due time.

Both Danish companies and the international workforce are challenged by this problem. Consequently, companies struggle with recruiting and getting a smooth onboarding of an international workforce that is necessary for both the private and public sector. Furthermore, it can limit companies’ growth if the right amount of labour is not accessible, and the international workforce decides to move to another EU member state where onboarding is less complex. Therefore, the City of Aarhus needs a technological solution that makes it easier for international employees to overcome the legal requirements related to financial issues when relocating to Aarhus.

The Municipality of Aarhus (Citizen Service department) will host up to two pilots. The challenge is run in collaboration with TechCircle – the European Digital Innovation Hub of Central Denmark – and co-funded by the European Union and Danish Board of Business Development.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 25%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

Amsterdam Challenge 1: How to support parents in online (sex)education and safety?

The Internet is a place to look up information and experiment, but it is also a place where children can be confronted with harmful content and activities, such as grooming, unwanted sexting and sextortion. Consequently it is essential for the parents to pay attention to online sex education and its safety. Therefore, the City of Amsterdam is in search of innovative technical solutions that boost parental involvement in online sex education and safety.

In terms of keeping up with technical skills and providing safe guidance online, it can be challenging for the parents. Moreover, for some people and in some cultures talking about sexuality can be embarrassing, uncomfortable or even taboo. Hence, some parents may find it difficult to talk about sexuality – either online or offline – with their partner or children.

Proposed technical solutions can, for example:
1) Give parents more knowledge on social media, online hypes and other quickly evolving online trends – and the risks that may go hand-in-hand with these trends.

2) Provide an action perspective when a child has become a victim of online sexual abuse.

3) Provide tools on how to address these trends and potential risks with children. Especially when it comes to children who are unwilling to discuss these topics with their parents.

4) Give parents (partner-to-partner) and social communities (adult-to-adult) tools to discuss online sexual education.

5)Technological solutions should take into account different languages, different levels of digital skills and cultural sensitivities. Finally, to overcome feelings of shame, it may help if a technology solution addresses the topic lightheartedly, for example, by making use of humour.

The Youth department of the City of Amsterdam hosts one pilot. The City of Amsterdam considers co-creation to be a crucial element for a successful pilot. The applicant needs to organise and take part in co-creation sessions (on-site) in Amsterdam and in the language of the target group.
This grant scheme is considered a contest. If the awarded application leads to a satisfactory pilot, the Municipality of Amsterdam therefore may, without starting a tender, procure the solution or commission further development.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

Amsterdam Challenge 2: How to ensure accessible acceptance of a local payment system among residents and local entrepreneurs in Amsterdam Nieuw-West?

A significant portion of the money spent in the city or district never reaches the Nieuw-West neighbourhood in Amsterdam. The money that does get spent within this district also quickly flows out again. This causes a downward spiral. The disappearance of small and medium-sized businesses changes the streetscape and social cohesion in the community. This creates inequality between large, wealthy companies on one hand and people with low incomes on the other hand, exacerbating inequality within and between neighbourhoods.

The Community Wealth Building approach aims to encourage the municipality and anchor institutions to spend more in Nieuw-West. To make the money spent there benefit the neighbourhood even more, the ambition is to implement a local payment system. By increasing spending in the neighbourhood and keeping the money circulating there, local businesses get more customers, additional opportunities arise for entrepreneurial youth to start businesses, and social cohesion is strengthened. The City of Amsterdam is looking for an interactive tool that lets residents and local entrepreneurs see and experience the benefits of a local payment system in New West.

It is known that residents and entrepreneurs need to experience for themselves how they can benefit from a local payment system. Therefore the interactive tool is developed together with residents and local entrepreneurs of Amsterdam Nieuw-West. This also enables a movement in which residents and entrepreneurs encourage each other to increasingly expand the network of participants.

The City of Amsterdam hosts one pilot in cooperation with National Programme Samen Nieuw-West. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to have a successful pilot. Therefore, the chosen piloting team needs to organise and take part in co-creation sessions on location in Amsterdam and in the language of the target group.

This grant scheme is considered a contest. If the awarded application leads to a satisfactory pilot, the Municipality of Amsterdam therefore may, without starting a tender, procure the solution or commission further development.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 25%

Amsterdam Challenge 3: How to encourage girls in Nieuw-West to take part in sports and exercise?

Many girls in Amsterdam Nieuw-West do not participate enough in sports and exercise: of the 12 500 girls in the area, only 17% are members of a sports club, compared to over 40% of the boys. Therefore the City of Amsterdam is looking for a technological solution that encourages more girls in Nieuw-West to take part in sports and exercise. Besides having a positive effect on health, sports also have a social impact. Structural practice contributes to personal growth and skills development. Moreover, meeting other people helps confirm a positive lifestyle.

Research shows that girls (and their parents) who are not exercising are not familiar with the sports facilities in the neighbourhood. They are also unfamiliar with social schemes and believe that the current sports facilities are not flexible enough.

The City of Amsterdam hosts one pilot in cooperation in collaboration with its Sports Department.

This grant scheme is considered a contest. If the awarded proposal leads to a satisfactory pilot, the Municipality of Amsterdam therefore may, without starting a tender, procure the solution or commission further development.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 50%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 10%

Amsterdam Challenge 4: How to involve residents in a community savings and credit cooperative that supports social initiatives in the city?

The City of Amsterdam invites technology developers to contribute to the creation of an innovative application for the Amsterdam Kasmoni Spaar en Kredietcoöperatie (Amsterdam Kasmoni Savings and CreditCooperative). This challenge seeks to develop a community-driven platform utilising technology to enable shared ownership of assets. By promoting shared ownership, community investments, and economic growth, the application contributes to reducing inequality, countering the effects of racism, empowering underserved areas, and honouring historical significance.

The proposed app, Amsterdam Kasmoni Spaar en Kredietcoöperatie, aims to foster shared ownership and investment. It enables individuals to co-own properties and businesses, collective investment in local enterprises, affordable housing and projects. With the integrated concept of “Kasmoni,” users can periodically contribute money to a communal pool. These contributions are utilised for individual or community investments and projects. The app promotes community empowerment, economic growth, social justice and historical recognition.

Target groups for this challenge are especially residents and entrepreneurs who want to become part of the cooperative to provide better opportunities for the neighbourhood. Also residents and entrepreneurs in a disadvantaged position are an important target group.

One pilot will be hosted by Bureau Bijlmer Renaissance & Futurisme which is a dynamic initiative focused on revitalising the Bijlmer neighbourhood and the rest of Amsterdam while fostering a vision for its future.

Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to have a successful pilot. The applicant needs to organise and take part in co-creation sessions in Amsterdam (on-site) and in the language of the target group.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

Amsterdam Challenge 5: How to include deaf and hearing impaired in broadcasting information on public transport?

Information about changes, traffic interruptions or emergencies on public transport is often broadcast. Deaf and hearing impaired cannot hear this so they do not know what is going on. As a result, they cannot follow directions and can feel excluded and lost. Current broadcasting information is far from available in written text, which is essential for hearing-impaired people to follow information. For deaf people, sign language is their mother tongue, which is why Dutch and written text is not understandable for everyone.

The Public Transport Company (GVB) in Amsterdam is looking for a technological solution that makes broadcast information in public transport accessible to deaf and hearing impaired. The GVB is looking for an application, outside existing communication tools of the GVB, that allows deaf and hearing impaired to access up-to-date information. This is a first step in translating broadcasted information into text and sign language in a separate tool. It will make public transport more inclusive and improve the ability of deaf and hearing impaired to use public transport. The ambition is to use this challenge to gather insights for a future solution that is generically applicable in public transport.

The Public Transport Company hosts one pilot. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to have a successful pilot. The applicant needs to organise and take part in co-creation sessions in Amsterdam on the location and in the language of the target group. A sign language interpreter has been arranged for this pilot.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

Amsterdam Challenge 6: How to adapt an existing technological solution for a specific group?

If you know a technological solution that with some modifications could be suitable for a specific marginalised group in the City of Amsterdam, submit an application related to this. For example, the Streetlife app, that provides practical information for homeless people on a map, was developed based on software aimed at tourists (Enjoy My City).

In your application, demonstrate how your solution meets the needs of the target group(s) and explain carefully their motivation to utilise your solution. In addition, describe how you are planning to involve the target group members in co-creation activities.

Furthermore, the applicant must inform the Municipality which sources are used for developing the technological solution. The municipality may reject the proposal when third party sources are being used or request proof of permission of usage from the third party. If the success of your piloting project depends on cooperation with another organisation or requires external resources, a Letter-of-Intent must be submitted.

Note that in the piloting phase your team should not need any resources from the Municipality of Amsterdam. The only exception is if your team has already found a department or a team that has agreed to collaborate. One piloting team will be awarded a grant in Amsterdam and there is also a possibility to have a cross-border pilot in Prague.

Amsterdam Challenge 6: Prague cross-border pilot

The cross-border pilot is executed with a similar group of residents in Prague as in Amsterdam. The Prague Institute of Planning and Development IPR Prague is a potential host for one pilot to be run in Prague. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to have a successful pilot. The applicant needs to organise and take part in co-creation sessions in Prague, on location, and in the language of the target group.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

Breda Challenge 1: How to strengthen the broad, positive health of youth through attractive and playful technology?

Most of the health education is concentrated around making healthy choices as an individual. However, when people are in a state of basic insecurity, like poverty and trauma, healthy choices are difficult to make. Also, the environment and negative reinforcement hinder individual choices. Technology can even play an adverse role through negative group pressure and stereotyping in social media in the form of victim blaming.

In this challenge tables are turned: Children and youngsters can be co-creators of technological solutions. They work towards broad positive health, in a spirit of community and feasibility. In that way, a preventive stimulus will be created with their wishes and conditions in mind. The City of Breda is looking for a technology solution which enables youth to strengthen their broad positive health.

The general theme of all Breda challenges is intergenerational transmission, in other words, the way behaviors or problems are passed from one generation to the next in families. Problems may include criminality, trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, weak socio-emotional relationships, addiction and poverty. These problems are interrelated and contribute to the persistence of the lack of perspective in underprivileged communities, if they are passed on in three generations or more.

The Youth Department of the City of Breda is hosting one pilot. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to enable a successful pilot. Therefore, the piloting team needs to organise and facilitate co-creation sessions on site in Breda and in the language of the target group.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 35%

Breda Challenge 2: How can resilient role models help families to develop healthy relationships?

Children develop their social-emotional attitudes and behaviors from a young age. They usually learn a lot about themselves and communication with others through intergenerational transmission. Even so, not only parents and educators are role models for youth. Youngsters find both supportive and destructive influencers on the internet, which may lead to stereotyping, us-and-them-ideologies and polarization.

It is important to enable children, youth, parents and educators to use technology to create positive role models, under their conditions. Such role models reinforce resilience, communication and connection. Therefore, the City of Breda is looking for a technology solution which contributes to healthy socio-emotional relationships. The primary target groups are youth and families.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 35%

Breda Challenge 3: Wildcard – Propose any technological solution which contributes to a breakthrough in intergenerational problems

Even if the Municipality of Breda is keen on knowing what kind of topics are important to its citizens, this has been proven to be a difficult task sometimes. For this reason, a ‘Wildcard” challenge is issued. With the ‘Wildcard’ challenge the Municipality of Breda is seeking technology solutions to meet intergenerational challenges faced by any vulnerable or marginalised communities, including youth. It is essential to demonstrate the importance of the chosen intergenerational topic for the target groups. Furthermore, the application must describe what is the potential impact on the community if the challenge is solved.

The general of all Breda challenges is intergenerational transmission, in other words, the way behaviors or problems are passed from one generation to the next in families. Problems may include criminality, trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, weak socio-emotional relationships, addiction and poverty. These problems are interrelated and contribute to the persistence of the lack of perspective in underprivileged communities, if they are passed on in three generations or more.

The Youth Department of the City of Breda is hosting up to three pilots. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to enable a successful pilot. Therefore, the piloting team needs to organise and facilitate co-creation sessions in Breda and in the language of the target group.

Note that applicants must submit a Letter-of-Intent showing that a technology company and an association working with a marginalised group intend to work together during the piloting phase. The lead applicant can be either the association or the technology company. In case the applicant is an association working with marginalised groups, and has the technical skills to develop a technological solution by itself, no Letter-of-Intent is required.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 35%

Helsinki Challenge 1: How to reliably measure the digital skills of long-term unemployed citizens?

In the City of Helsinki, a large percentage of unemployed residents do not have the needed skills and digital knowledge to use the services provided by the city. Lack of these skills can also be an obstacle for getting employed. Thus, the department of Rehabilitative Work Activities provides teaching on these critical skills on different levels. The primary target groups for these services are long-term unemployed citizens, who are already clients of the City of Helsinki Social Services Work Activities.

The City of Helsinki is looking for a web-based solution to evaluate their clients’ knowledge in digital skills to better understand their needs on a personal level and in a larger context (city/national level). Firstly, this evaluation tool should help digital trainers to plan and guide the clients to digital courses that match their level. Secondly, it should recommend skills to practise, and thirdly, it should motivate the clients to improve their digital skills. Currently Rehabilitative Work Activities offer the following courses:

Digital course level 1: Digitality, overview of digital devices, computer hardware, software, and basic use of Windows.
Digital course level 2: Folder structure, file and folder management, different memories, backup, and overview of office software.
Digital course level 3: Internet, internet browsers, information search, electronic transactions, e-mail, and information security.

The City of Helsinki Rehabilitative Work Activities department hosts one pilot and there is a cross-border pilot opportunity with the Cities of Porto and Tallinn.

Porto cross-border pilot

In the City of Porto, there is the possibility to execute one cross-border pilot with the unemployed residents in the eight social neighbourhoods of the urban rehabilitation area (ARU) of Corujeira – Campanhã. The pilot host is Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional, I.P - Delegação Norte. Note that the applicant needs to allocate extra budget for translating the solution into the local language (Portuguese) and tailoring it according to the local needs. There should also be an additional budget for testing the solution in Porto and organising possible co-creation sessions onsite.

Tallinn cross-border pilot

The City of Tallinn offers an opportunity for one cross-border pilot with the long-term unemployed citizens of the City of Tallinn. The pilot is hosted by Tallinn Welfare and Health Care Department. Note that the applicant needs to allocate extra budget for translating the solution into the local language (Estonian) and tailoring it according to the local needs. There should also be an additional budget for testing the solution in Tallinn and organising possible co-creation sessions onsite.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 20%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 30%

Helsinki Challenge 2: How to support the recognition of competence with help of a digital tool?

The City of Helsinki wants to strengthen the equality, participation and work life skills of its residents by improving a wide range of services. One of the objectives is to find tools to support and recognize informal and extracurricular learning. These tools would, for example, facilitate the residents’ transition from social services to studies or employment.

Therefore, the City of Helsinki Rehabilitative Work Activities department is looking for digital tools to help recognize competence of their long-term employed customers and enhance the completion of a degree. The focus is on piloting and co-developing digital solutions for surveying and recognizing prior learning (RPL) and/or the skills learned during the citizens’ daily life. These include:

Social and working life skills, communication and interaction skills, mathematical and natural science competence (common units of vocational degree)
Skills learned through work activity, hobbies and/or interests (cleaning and property, food, logistics, environmental services, etc.)

The solution could potentially support the completion of qualifications, degrees, and courses in vocational training or in university education.

The City of Helsinki Rehabilitative Work Activities department hosts up to two pilots in cooperation with Stadin AO, Helsinki Vocational College and Adult Institute. Furthermore, there is a cross-border pilot opportunity with the City of Tallinn.

Helsinki Challenge 2: Tallinn cross-border pilot

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 30%

Helsinki Challenge 3: How to prevent pressure ulcers of wheelchair patients?

Pressure ulcers are chronic wounds caused by external pressure on the skin. Pressure ulcers, or bedsores, are common and they account for about 2-3% of the annual healthcare costs in Finland. It is estimated that 55,000–80,000 patients, many of them elderly, have one or more pressure ulcers every year. Painful pressure ulcers decrease the overall quality of life, limit the social interactions as well as hinder independent living.

Pressure ulcers occur especially in bedridden patients who have to lie down still for long periods of time. Wheelchair patients are also at risk of pressure ulcers. Usually a pressure ulcer occurs after several days, but it can also occur just in a few hours’ time. In order to deduce the number of citizens suffering from pressure ulcers, the City of Helsinki is looking for digital technologies enabling prevention of pressure ulcers with wheelchair patients.

The City of Helsinki will be participating in the pilot as co-operator. The pilot host must be identified by the Applicant and the Letter-of-Intent must be delivered.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 1 | Weighting: 20%

Helsinki Challenge 4: How to enhance the quality of life and foster inclusion for citizens with severe disabilities through digital innovations?

People with multiple severe disabilities often face marginalisation due to a combination of social, environmental, economic, and systemic factors. They must overcome a multitude of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to be able to interact with the world. From communication difficulties to mobility constraints, their challenges are diverse and complex. The currently existing digital and traditional solutions often fall short in addressing their unique needs comprehensively.

Day Activity Center Sofianlehto aims to empower individuals with multiple severe disabilities and enhance their ability to interact with the world using new assistive technologies. Creating inclusive multisensory experiences – such as travel, sports, or cultural events – allowing individuals with severe disabilities to participate, is one of the objectives. The third aspect of the challenge is to find digital solutions that could be utilised to collect feedback from individuals whose communication is limited to non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, body movements, gestures, and vocalisations.

Day Activity Center Sofianlehto is especially interested in:

Advanced augmentative and alternative communication solutions utilising, for example gaze-tracking, gesture recognition and AI.
Immersive, interactive multisensory environments including VR, AR, haptic, gaze-tracking and BCI.
Customizable, technologically advanced mobility aids that enhance movement and accessibility in both indoor and outdoor environments, such as smart wheelchair and lidar navigation – mapping.
Accessible gaming such as AI, VR and customizable controls.

The chosen solutions should be customizable for the unique needs of people with severe disabilities. Secondly, it must be user friendly (installation, setup, customization, updating or maintenance should not require advanced digital skills) and thirdly, it has to be Integrable with current and future digital systems. Finally, sustainability (durable and repairable devices) must be considered.

Up to two pilots are hosted by Day Activity Center Sofianlehto located in Helsinki. The mission at Sofianlehto is to enhance inclusion and open the door to a world of sensory experiences for their 70 clients. Currently used technologies and digital tools: include: SHX Sensory Room devices, Soundbeam, Yeti tablet, Interactive floor, Neurosonic and physioacoustic recliners as well as digital and electronic AAC devices.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 30%

Helsinki Challenge 5: How to collect and generate accessible pedestrian route information through participatory data collection methods?

The City of Helsinki provides a Service Map that contains information on public service locations in the Capital Region. This Service Map platform offers information, for example, regarding the accessibility of the services, but it does not provide instructions on accessibility of routes to the service locations.

From this background, the City of Helsinki is looking for solutions that can provide accessibility information about the pedestrian routes to these service destinations. This solution should be based on participatory data collection methods, such as crowd-sourcing. Furthermore, it should preferably be self-sustaining. In other words, it should be able to continuously verify and update the information in question. The pilot is expected to take place in 1–2 of Helsinki’s districts, and the participatory target group will be residents who specially need information on accessibility, such as redients with sensor and/or mobility impairments as well as intellectual or learning disabilities.

The Helsinki Service Map Team is prepared to host 1–2 pilots and there is an opportunity for a cross-border pilot with the City of Tallinn. For additional information, visit Service Map at GitHub and Traffic and Mobility Options test environment.

What routes would visually impaired people prefer to use, instead of the routes they currently are using? What reasons do they have for not using these preferred routes?

Helsinki Challenge 5:Tallinn cross-border pilot

The City of Tallinn offers an opportunity for one cross-border pilot with their residents who specially are in need of information on accessibility. The City of Tallinn already has Tallinn Roads and public buildings accessibility map that can be utilised in the pilot. The pilot is hosted by Tallinn Welfare and Health Care Department. Note that the applicant needs to allocate extra budget for translating the solution into the local language (Estonian) and tailoring it according to the local needs. There should also be an additional budget for testing the solution in Tallinn and organising possible co-creation sessions onsite.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 20%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 40%

Helsinki Challenge 6: How to utilise existing data and data sources for activating digitally hard-to-reach residents?

The City of Helsinki has large quantities of data and several data sources that currently are not being actively used by some of the target groups that would most benefit from them. For example, the Helsinki Service Map offers information on public service locations in the capital region. This information has been made accessible, but usage is still relatively low.

The City of Helsinki is looking for solutions that enable and encourage digitally hard-to-reach citizens to access and utilise data available through Helsinki Service Map. These solutions can be targeted at, for example, increasing residents’ mobility, reducing fears about unknown locations, or lighting up their curiosity towards existing but unused services.

The City of Helsinki hosts up to two pilots within the Helsinki Service Map Team. For additional information, visit Service Map at GitHub and Traffic and Mobility Options test environment.

Helsinki Challenge 6: Tallinn cross-border pilot

The City of Tallinn offers a possibility for up to two cross-border pilots with the digitally hard-to-reach citizens of the City of Tallinn. The pilot is hosted by Tallinn Welfare and Health Care Department. Applicants can find more information of the services of the The City of Tallinn from Tallinn Service Map as well as Tallinn Roads and public buildings accessibility map that can be utilised in the pilot. Roads and public buildings accessibility maps are also accessible. Furthermore, in Tallinn Starship Technologies is operating a fleet of autonomous delivery robots, which gather valuable data about streets and their accessibility. So far this data has been utilised but in case the piloting team wants to access this data, I will be made available. Note that the applicant needs to allocate extra budget for translating the solution into the local language (Estonian) and tailoring it according to the local needs. There should also be an additional budget for testing the solution in Tallinn and organising possible co-creation sessions onsite.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 50%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 0 | Weighting: 10%

Porto Challenge 1: How to reduce school absenteeism through an innovative and inclusive educational solution?

The City of Porto seeks innovative solutions to contribute towards reducing school absenteeism. The focus is on implementing strategies that lead to increased accessibility, heightened motivation, enhanced engagement, and active participation in school-related activities. Moreover, a central goal is to promote equality and foster inclusivity by addressing discrimination.

The challenge primarily targets children and adolescents who reside within the eight municipal housing clusters situated in the urban rehabilitation area (ARU) of Corujeira Campanhã. The goal is to design interventions that directly benefit these young residents by providing them with the necessary tools to overcome educational barriers. Additionally, this challenge involves close collaboration with on-ground stakeholders such as educators, schools, and educational clusters to ensure the successful implementation and effectiveness of the proposed solutions.

Divisão Municipal de Educação–Porto Municipality (DME) will host up to two pilots.

Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to enable a successful pilot. Therefore, the piloting team needs to organise and facilitate onsite co-creation sessions (the frequency must be agreed with the pilot host and according to the needs of the project ) in Porto in the language of the target group.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 25%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 4 | Weighting: 35%

Porto Challenge 2: How to improve the thermal comfort and overall health in residential buildings, focusing on passive strategies?

Seeking innovative technological solutions that enhance the thermal comfort and health of existing houses, this challenge also aims to empower the residents with user-friendly tools for the efficient self-management of their homes.

Once the target group is a vulnerable population, unable to afford or maintain heating/cooling systems, the City of Porto is looking for technologies that promote passive energy efficiency measures, that do not involve physical interventions for the rehabilitation of the building. The objective also involves a user-friendly approach that ensures the solutions are practical for residents to implement into existing homes. The goal is to reduce energy consumption and utility costs for residents, increase energy efficiency literacy, and at the same time contribute to a greener environment.

In a world where sustainability is essential, this challenge invites creators to propose cutting-edge solutions that promote healthier living environments for the most vulnerable, while extending the life of public buildings, reducing the need for frequent renovations, and aligning with eco-friendly practices. Therefore, the City of Porto challenges you to co-create technologies that make energy efficiency a universal issue, accessible to everyone.

Up to two pilots are hosted by Domus Social, E.M. Pilots will be organised in collaboration with the residents in the eight social neighbourhoods of the urban rehabilitation area (ARU) of Corujeira–Campanhã.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 2.5 | Weighting: 25%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2.5 | Weighting: 25%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

Prague Challenge 1: How to engage the citizens from socially and economically disconnected localities in participatory planning?

Over the last years the City of Prague has been involving the general public in planning urban spaces. It is believed that public involvement is key to making residents feel comfortable in the city and as an active and co-creative part of it.

This residents’ involvement process does not have any tradition in the Czech Republic and convincing the public that the city takes their wishes and needs into account in city planning is a difficult task. At the same time, there are activities and tools, such as participation seminars at the Prague Institute of Planning and Development (IPR) and data statistics (Pragozor, Golemio platforms from OICT) available for more comprehensive, data-based thinking and decision-making. Unfortunately these are utilised only by a certain group of residents. Typically people who have a higher standard of living and are interested in public affairs, living either in the city centre areas or adjacent dynamic areas.

Thus, the City of Prague is looking for an innovative digital solution to help involve citizens in the decision-making process of urban planning in areas that are typically socially and economically more isolated localities. This tool should be easy to understand, educational and enable communicating the resident’s opinions in a simple and clear way. This particular tool should be placed directly in these localities to ensure the greatest possible inclusion of respondents. This way the tool reaches the target groups, namely the residents of socially and economically isolated localities in Prague with limited previous involvement in urban planning and public affairs.

Operator ICT Prague or another institution hosts one pilot in Prague. The challenge is also open for cross-border pilots in cooperation with the Cities of Amsterdam and Porto. Pilots in all three pilot cities should run simultaneously.

Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to enable a successful pilot. Therefore, the piloting team needs to organise and facilitate co-creation sessions in Prague in the language of the target group.

Prague Challenge 1: Amsterdam cross-border pilot

The community engagement challenge takes place in Amsterdam Zuidoost, a diverse and multicultural borough of the Dutch capital. Due to the history of urban development in the area, there is a lower level of trust in the government when it comes to new proposals and strategies to address the housing shortage. The idea is that a digital tool can make participation more appealing to groups such as the youth and young professionals, helping the municipality to take into account the views of groups that usually don’t participate in traditional public hearings. The Municipality of Amsterdam (Department of Digitisation and Innovation, Digital Urban Planning Lab) will host one pilot. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to enable a successful pilot. Therefore, the piloting team needs to organise and facilitate co-creation sessions in Prague in the language of the target group. The applicant must indicate what additional budget is needed for co-creation in Amsterdam and adapting the tool to local needs.

Prague Challenge 1: Porto cross-border pilot

The pilot location in Porto is an Area of Urban Rehabilitation (which means it was defined by the municipality of Porto as a priority intervention area for integrated urban rehabilitation) with a large percentage of public housing – around 40% of the population lives in public housing. One pilot will be hosted by Associação Porto Digital; CMPH - Domus Social, EM. Pilots will be organised in collaboration with the residents in the eight social neighbourhoods of the urban rehabilitation area (ARU) of Corujeira–Campanhã. We consider co-creation to be crucial for a successful pilot. The applicant will need to organise and take part in co-creation sessions in Porto (on site). The applicant also needs to indicate what kind of extra budget is needed for co-creation in Porto and adapting the tool to local needs. Extra budget should be considered to translate the solution into the local language (Portuguese).

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 20%

Prague Challenge 2: How to better inform the public with limited access to digital tools about urban data analysis?

The City of Prague has a unique data platform, Golemio, which aggregates, analyses and visualises a variety of urban data regarding, for example, transport, migration, environment and energy. The entire platform, developed within the OICT by in-house developers, works on an open source basis and is intended for potential business partners, other city organisations as well as the public.

At the same time, the OICT operates a user-friendly and graphically easier to understand “alternative” Pragozor, which is primarily designed to inform citizens. The City of Prague believes that informing citizens through data analysis is key to their objective and rational perception of the city as a whole and their decision-making in elections. However, according to the statistics, both sites have only minimal traffic from the general public.

The City of Prague is looking for an innovative digital tool to stimulate citizens’ interest in city data and the statistics and visualisations resulting from it, especially among residents who, whether for economic or knowledge reasons, have limited access to digital tools. This new digital tool should present the data in a simple and easy-to-understand way directly in the places where it is relevant. The tool’s interface should be made available for locations that are frequented or directly inhabited by target groups. These include locations such as remote housing areas, supermarkets and parks within these areas, public transport stops, etc.

Operator ICT Prague or another institution hosts one pilot in Prague. Co-creation is considered as a crucial factor in order to enable a successful pilot. Therefore, the piloting team needs to organise and facilitate co-creation sessions in Prague in the language of the target group.

Minimum scores and weightenings:

1. Impact

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

2. Implementation quality and efficiency

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 30%

3. Excellence

Minimum score: 2 | Weighting: 20%

4. Co-creation

Minimum score: 3 | Weighting: 20%