Varanasi, 13 May 2024: The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) has announced that Varanasi, along with Detroit and Venice, has been selected to host innovation challenges as part of TMF’s $9 million Sustainable Cities Challenge. This global initiative aims to foster sustainable mobility, creating healthier and safer urban environments while enhancing access to work, education, and services.
The challenge, which initially saw participation from over 150 cities across 46 countries, shortlisted 10 cities in November 2023 before selecting the final three. Each city will now launch its own City Challenge, inviting global innovators to address local mobility needs. Varanasi will commence its City Challenge on June 27, 2024, encouraging solutions tailored to its unique mobility issues. Successful solutions will receive up to $3 million per city for demonstration and pilot testing, with further scaling and implementation planned for 2026.
Varanasi, a city renowned for its cultural heritage and significant tourism, faces challenges related to safety and crowding, particularly in its historic old city area (Kashi). The Varanasi City Challenge aims to generate innovative, data-driven solutions to enhance accessibility and safety for pilgrims, residents, and vulnerable populations.
Akshat Verma, IAS, Municipal Commissioner/CEO of Varanasi Municipal Corporation, expressed excitement about participating in the Sustainable Cities Challenge, stating, “This initiative offers a valuable opportunity to explore technical and design avenues for improving mobility, benefiting both residents and tourists. By collaborating with innovative minds, we aim to bolster Varanasi’s reputation as a premier global tourist destination.”
Pras Ganesh, Executive Program Director at Toyota Mobility Foundation, highlighted the foundation’s commitment to overcoming mobility barriers, saying, “We are passionate about the freedom of mobility and the opportunities it unlocks. With partners like the World Resources Institute and Challenge Works, we seek innovative solutions to cities’ pressing mobility issues, ensuring scalable and replicable ideas.”
Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Governance at Toyota Kirloskar Motor, emphasized Toyota’s commitment to sustainable urban transportation, adding, “This challenge exemplifies our vision by bridging innovative minds and local stakeholders. It aligns with our global commitment to creating ‘Happiness for All,’ and we believe it will significantly contribute to global sustainable urban environments.”
The City Challenges will focus on expanding access to safe, affordable, and inclusive transportation. Potential solutions may leverage data to create resilient mobility ecosystems or reduce environmental impacts through low-carbon solutions. Each city, in collaboration with TMF, Challenge Works, and the World Resources Institute, has designed its challenge to address specific local mobility barriers.
Innovators worldwide are invited to respond to the challenges, with selected solutions receiving support for testing and development using real-world data. The Sustainable Cities Challenge, funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation, aims to bring cities and innovators together to develop sustainable, inclusive, and data-driven mobility solutions for the future.
