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In October 2019, #Citypreneurs #startups were invited to take part in WeGO EXCOM / GovInsider LIVE 2019 / APUF-7 / SDTF where their tech-based solutions to urban challenges were showcased to 5000+ stakeholders across 3 countries.
#Citypreneurs #tech4good #innovation #socialimpact #UN #SDGs #2030Agenda #SmartSustainableCities #Korea #Thailand #Malaysia
ADVANCING HUMAN-CENTERED SMART CITIES
SEONGNAM, SOUTH KOREA ǀ 14-16 OCT
DamoGO, this year’s recipient of the WeGO Secretary General’s Award at Citypreneurs Seoul 2019, was given the opportunity by WeGO to participate in their 2019 Executive Committee Meeting (EXCOM). The Citypreneurs team took part primarily as an exhibitor and received attention from city leaders in attendance, including the Mayor of Seongnam City, for their SDG-aligned tech solution.
DamoGO offers a mobile app service where restaurants and other food retailers can upload the day’s perfectly good, unsold food for any customer to purchase instead of letting it go to waste. All food is half-price and users can browse by location or receive immediate notifications as soon their favorite stores upload food. Stores gain extra income from food that would have gone to waste, gain extra exposure and foot traffic from new customers, and strengthen their brand image by being associated with a social impact business. Most of all, the startup offers a way for both customers and the food industry to do their part in reducing food waste and greenhouse gases, and help protect the planet.
Lin Hwang, Co-Founder & CEO of DamoGO, also shared insights about integrating social impact into their business model during a special session on “Embracing Emerging Technologies for Social Benefit” which explored public-private sector collaborations at the local government level on delivering innovative products and services for citizen wellbeing, particularly from marginalized groups.
WeGO EXCOM is an annual event where members of the WeGO Executive Committee convene to discuss and decide on key agenda that sets the organization’s future direction. This year’s meeting gathered leaders from more than 25 cities – including a dozen mayors, vice-mayors, CIOs, and 15 representatives from international and regional organizations – to explore the theme “Advancing Human-Centered Smart Cities” through diverse knowledge-sharing, matchmaking, and exhibition activities.
SHOWCASING THE MOST INNOVATIVE TOOLS, TECH & SERVICES AVAILABLE TO GOVERNMENT
BANGKOK, THAILAND ǀ 16 OCT
Citypreneurs joined GovInsider as an event partner for GovInsider Live 2019. Held at UN ESCAP Headquarters in Bangkok, the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region, the #GovTech summit brought together over 500 participants from the GovInsider community of global innovators responsible for policy, finance and technology decisions across government, healthcare, education, transportation, and infrastructure including almost senior officials from ASEAN countries to discuss integrating innovative technology solutions in government planning.
During GovInsider Live 2019, visitors ranging from young innovators, government officials, tech experts, private corporations and other ecosystem builders stopped by the Citypreneurs booth to learn about how they could get involved. Visitors were also able to learn more about YAP Company, a Citypreneurs Global Expansion partner, and how they aim to utilize innovative technology in building more sustainable smart cities.
ADOPTING SEOUL'S CITYPRENEURIAL SPIRIT:
TECH-BASED SOLUTIONS TOWARDS ACHIEVING
THE SDGS AT THE URBAN SCALE
PENANG, MALAYSIA ǀ 17 OCT
As part of the APUF-7 Urban Innovation Sessions, Citypreneurs hosted the workshop Adopting Seoul's Citypreneurial Spirit: Tech-Based Solutions Towards Achieving the SDGs at the Urban Scale during which participants were invited to explore ways to integrate innovative problem solving in comprehensive city planning, share insights on different city contexts and facilitate frontier technology adoption to solve urban challenges. Citypreneurs Seoul 2018 Grand Prize Winner ALT-A was featured to present their SDG-aligned innovation model as a Seoul-based case study.
ALT-A offers an urban mobility solution uses 3D mapping, real time data collection and intelligent sensor tech to monitor pedestrian activity in blind sports and detect illegal parking in fire zones. Their work aligns with SDG11 and SDG3 by making transport systems safe, affordable and accessible, and by building safer communities.
The Seventh Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-7) held in Penang, Malaysia, brought together over 5,000 urban stakeholders – including policymakers from local and national governments, financial institutions, civil society, academia, the urban training-research community and the private sector – to discuss innovative solutions, identify common actions and objectives, and strengthen effective partnerships to achieve sustainable urban development.
SHINING THE SPOTLIGHT ON CITYPRENEURS STARTUPS AT UN FORUM
INCHEON, SOUTH KOREA ǀ 22 OCT
Citypreneurs was invited to be featured in the SDGs Café, a side event of the 2019 Sustainable Development Transformation Forum (SDTF) aiming to encourage multi-sector collaboration through innovation, entrepreneurship and young people’s leadership to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The event shone a spotlight on selected startups in the field of sustainable development and gave them a platform to introduce their innovative projects to over 100 SDTF participants – including governments, UN Agencies, think tanks, development banks, academic institutions, civil societies, and private sector representatives from around the world. The following Citypreneurs Seoul startups were selected to showcase their SDG-aligned tech solutions:
2019 WINNER of the Grand Prize Seoul Mayor’s Award, Hand It Back to Nature (HBN) provides eco-friendly products, starting with 100% biodegradeable straws, to foster a plastic free and composting-based environment. Their work focuses on SDG12, SDG14 and SDG15.
2019 WINNER of the First Prize WeGO Secretary General’s Award, DamoGO is a mobile app service where restaurants can upload the day's perfectly good, unsold food for any customer to purchase at half price instead of letting it go to waste. Their work focuses on SDG2, SDG12 and SDG 13.
2019 WINNER of the Second Prize ESCAP-ENEA Director’s Award, LIFE CHAIR/10’S LIFE VEST redesigns safety equipment focused on portability and accessibility to protect lives. Their work focuses on SDG3 and SDG10.
2018 TOP 10 FINALIST Cube Intelligence leverages blockchain technology to build future mobility solutions. Their work focuses on SDG11 and SDG3.
2019 TOP 30 SEMI-FINALIST Besides offers an education- and job-matching platform for the disabled. Their work focuses on SDG8 and SDG10.
Organized by the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD), in partnership with the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), this year’s event explored what it will take to achieve fundamental transformations - in energy, industrial, food and other sectors - to shift away from a business-as-usual path. Topics included the technicalities, the political economy and behavioral economics for the transition and adoption of sustainable development, including the psychology of consumer choice and how “sustainable” can become the default standard across all types of consumers.
Citypreneurs is a UN-backed platform for impact-driven innovators with sustainable solutions to urban challenges, as defined and measured by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).