MDIA launches fourth Public Innovation Challenge

Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA) launched its fourth Public Innovation Challenge on Oct. 4, a groundbreaking initiative focused on transforming transportation visibility in Miami-Dade County, Fla. In partnership with the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), the challenge invites local and global early-to-growth stage companies to submit innovative solutions that will reimagine, enhance and improve transportation management, particularly during high-demand events such as Art Basel Miami and Miami Art Week, Ultra Music Festival and major sporting events.

The challenge will run until Nov. 22, 2024. MDIA, in partnership with DTPW, will select at least three early-to-growth stage technology startups, providing each with $100,000 in funding to test and validate their solutions with DTPW.  

The challenge seeks solutions that harness the power of advanced technologies such as sensors, cameras, spatial and traffic data aggregators, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance traffic visibility and management across roads, sidewalks and other public spaces. Successful proposals will demonstrate a measurable impact on nontraditional commuting patterns or special events. 

As the Miami-Dade County continues to host major events, enhancing transportation visibility becomes crucial for improving traffic management, reducing congestion, enhancing public transit efficiency, increasing safety for drivers, bikers, and pedestrians, reducing emissions and travel times and enabling better urban planning and connectivity. 

"As our population grows and events continue to draw larger crowds, it's essential to improve how residents and visitors navigate our roads. This challenge presents a unique opportunity for startups to revolutionize transportation visibility in Miami-Dade County, enhancing safety, reducing congestion and improving the overall transportation experience,” said Leigh-Ann Buchanan, president and CEO, MDIA. 

The challenge focuses on several key areas of transportation: 

• For personal vehicle mobility: Seeking solutions to reroute vehicles or provide key insights, particularly in response to special events or abnormalities such as construction or accidents. 
• For pedestrian movement: Seeking solutions to help understand the movement of people and their transportation needs, with a focus on making travel safer and more efficient during special events. 
• For public transportation efficiency: Seeking solutions to track routes and arrival/departure times, as well as adaptive signals and signal priority for public transportation, especially buses. 
• For general road usage: Seeking solutions that leverage publicly available spatial and transit data to optimize traffic flow and reduce congestion. 

"Investing in innovative transportation solutions is crucial for making Miami-Dade County a leading transportation hub. This challenge underscores our commitment to improving how we manage transportation during major events, with solutions that can be applied to everyday operations—ultimately benefiting our community and reinforcing our position as a leader in mobility solutions,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. 

To ensure the challenge benefits from diverse expertise, MDIA has enlisted subject matter experts from CoMotion, a global platform dedicated to multimodal mobility, and the Miami Transit Alliance, a non-profit organization advocating for walkable streets, bikeable neighborhoods and better public transit.  

"By harnessing the power of startups and cutting-edge technology, this challenge has the potential to revolutionize transportation management in Miami-Dade County, ultimately creating a more efficient, sustainable and equitable transportation system for all. CoMotion is committed to fostering innovation and collaboration among entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and the public sector. We believe this challenge is a prime example of the kind of groundbreaking work that can be achieved when cities, startups and technology come together,” said John Rossant, founder and CEO, CoMotion.