MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA) today launched its fourth Public Innovation Challenge, a groundbreaking initiative focused on transforming transportation visibility in Miami-Dade County. In partnership with the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW), this 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.
Starting today, the challenge will run until November 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. Interested companies are encouraged to submit their proposals through the official challenge website: https://www.mdia.miami/transportation.
The challenge seeks solutions that harness the power of advanced technologies such as sensors, cameras, spatial and traffic data aggregators, predictive analytics, AI, 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.
The importance of this challenge cannot be overstated. Miami-Dade County, with its nearly three million residents and more than 27 million annual visitors, faces unique challenges in managing its transportation network. As the 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.
Leigh-Ann Buchanan, President and CEO of MDIA, emphasized the significance of this challenge: "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."
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.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava highlighted the economic implications of the initiative: "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.”
DTPW, collaborating with MDIA on this initiative, stands as Florida's largest transit agency and ranks 15th nationwide. Its recent accolades underscore its commitment to excellence: DTPW was named Public Agency of the Year by the Council of Minority Transportation Officials, awarded Agency of the Year for its Vision Zero Program at the Safe Street Summit, and hosted Mobility Week, featuring the NACTO Designing Cities Conference and CoMotion.
DTPW drives progress across multiple fronts: enhancing bus services via the resident-led Better Bus Network, expanding transit-oriented communities, and improving road safety. The department advances its SMART Program while pursuing Vision Zero to reduce traffic incidents. With the imminent release of its inaugural Comprehensive Transportation Master Plan, DTPW aims to harmonize countywide mobility efforts. These initiatives, fueled by departmental momentum, propel DTPW toward its vision: becoming the world's premier transportation provider.
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. These organizations bring valuable insights and experience to the initiative, further enhancing its potential impact on Miami-Dade's transportation landscape.
John Rossant, Founder and CEO of CoMotion added: "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."
MDIA was founded with equal private, public, and philanthropic funding totaling $9 million from Miami-Dade County, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Citadel Founder and CEO Ken Griffin. Since its 2023 launch, it has launched three public challenges and deployed more than $1 million in funding. Recognized by the International Economic Development Council’s Innovation Award, MDIA aims to create a replicable blueprint to fast track innovation that improves quality of life in cities and that can be modeled by other municipalities around the world.
As with all business and economic development opportunities, Miami-Dade County is committed to supporting the growth of diverse businesses and advocating for equitable participation of minority and women entrepreneurs in economic opportunities.
To learn more about The Miami-Dade Innovation Authority, Inc. please visit: https://www.mdia.miami.
About Miami-Dade Innovation Authority
Miami-Dade Innovation Authority bridges the gap between private innovators and the public sector to fast-track innovation that improves the quality of life for residents. Through our signature Public Innovation Challenge, we identify, invest in, and support early-to-growth stage companies from across the globe to pilot, test, and validate their technology and solutions to pressing public challenges in collaboration with the economic engines within Miami-Dade County. A recipient of the International Economic Development Council’s Innovation Award and recognized as a NASDAQ venture equity featured program, MDIA aims to create a replicable blueprint that can be modeled by other municipalities around the world.
For more information, visit: https://www.mdia.miami/about
About Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW)
DTPW operates the 15th largest US transit system and Florida's largest. It offers 27.5 million miles of Metrobus service annually on 70 routes, boasting one of the nation's largest emissions-free bus fleets. The system includes Metrorail, Metromover, South Dade TransitWay (opening in 2025), and Special Transportation Services (STS). DTPW also manages roads, bridges, and drainage systems, ensuring flood protection. Its Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Program is expanding transit infrastructure, including the South Corridor and Northeast Corridor.
DTPW collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies, and is a recipient of numerous awards. With over 4,000 employees and a $10 billion capital program, it's a major force in Miami-Dade County. For more information, please visit: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/transportation/public-works/home.page
