What is the Big Picture – Catalyzing the New Mobility

The Mobi award is an important part of a wider project supported by the Rockefeller Foundation. “Catalyzing the New Mobility in Cities” aims to identify existing and emerging business models and innovative transportation approaches in general, and ones that benefit the urban poor in particular; to identify and convene the social entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders advancing these new models along with key stakeholders; and to explore possible paths for scaling up these models.

Reporting on Directions Forward

The Mobi is one way of building awareness about sustainable transportation, surfacing new models of innovations in transportation including for the urban poor, learning about the successful innovations entrepreneurs young and old have championed, and learning about and advancing the emerging industry that will supply the sustainable future of transportation.

But beyond the prize itself SMART is also connecting with its Living Lab (public, private sector and NGO) partners as well as key research collaborators to produce an accessible report that profiles a wide range of emerging new business models; paints a picture of the state of the emerging New Mobility industry cluster; points to areas of business and employment opportunity related to New Mobility; and identifies enabling policy and research that can advance new mobility innovation and enterprise locally and globally.

This project has arisen in the context of, on the one hand, rapid urbanization, shifting demographics, increasing climate change threat, and global economic restructuring, and, on the other hand, new facilitative information technologies, new service and fractional use models and new cultural trends towards open source, IT-enhanced portfolios and door-to-door systems.

We’re doing everything we can to ensure that the dialogue, research, and on-the-ground solution-building over the course of the project will have ongoing effects and will lay the foundation for a wider community of entrepreneurs, businesses large and small, and urban leaders dedicated to understanding, action, and policy on this subject. We also anticipate wider learning in terms of new business models and innovative transport approaches targeted beyond the urban poor.

It is timely because while a plethora of innovations has arisen worldwide in response to these trends, significant gaps remain, having to do with providing connected door-to-door systems that serve the user and developing viable business models, in particular models geared to the urban poor. To date much innovation in transportation is developed and tested by single mode or service (not for multiple modes and services) and / or for more upscale markets (not for the urban poor).

This work aims to fill some of the gaps and to provide a space for innovation and application of New Mobility as an important pathway to healthier people, environments, and economies.

If you are willing to share your thoughts and wisdom on these questions, please be in touch. Contact Us.

It all began last year with submissions to SMART’s “MobiPrize” . Since then it’s evolved into a searchable registry of New Mobility enterprises world-wide that:

• Highlights upcoming and established New Mobility enterprises
• Illuminates new business models and more general trends in the New Mobility space
• Promotes specific innovations – technologies, products, services, systems, and designs that are of interest to governments, businesses, and individual customers
• Connects enterprises and entrepreneurs to each other, supporting:
• B to B information sharing
• collaboration that helps individual businesses succeed and advances the New Mobility industry at the same time.

But Wait! There’s More!
In addition to the registry of up-and-running enterprises, we’ve also initiated two additional registries:

• The Registry of Budding Enterprises lists about-to-launch enterprises that advance sustainable transportation locally and globally.
• The Registry of Supporting Bodies lists great non-profit organizations that support New Mobility Enterprises world-wide.

And in the Pipeline we’re developing a by-nomination-only listing of big companies that are shining stars in the New Mobility industry. We’ll keep you posted on this one. Which one is for you?

If you are a registered, for-profit enterprise and want to apply for MobiPrize 2013, please go to (application link)

If you’d like to nominate a big company for the Big Business for New Mobility registry, contact us at inf0@mobiprize.com

We would love to include as many wonderful enterprises in these lists as we can. So if you are doing something great to advance New Mobility and want to list in any of our registries[ The Enterprise registry /The registry of Budding Enterprises/ The registry of Supporting Bodies] then please complete the following form.

There are two levels to the SMART Exchange:

1. The Café on the First Floor (Forum): For open discussion with all members

2. Meeting Rooms Upstairs (Groups): For topic- or project-specific discussion and collaboration. Participation in upstairs meeting rooms may be by invitation. This is where you’ll find the “Entrepreneurs Network”. Just click on the group and request to be invited at no cost.

You may also want to check out the SMART Blog. It’s full of up-to-the-minute news, resources, ideas, and opportunities that come SMART’s way.

What is SMART MobiPrize?

SMART Mobility Enterprize (the “Mobi”) is an award honoring entrepreneurial ventures that are changing the world – helping to improve the quality of life and revitalize the environment and economy of communities and regions through sustainable transportation (New Mobility). It was conceived and developed by the University of Michigan SMART initiative and its local and international partners with the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation.

Who is sure to be interested?

• Entrepreneurs would be interested in MobiPrize because it rewards and promotes ventures related to advancing New Mobility and provides a network of like-minded entrepreneurs.

• Big Business would be interested in MobiPrize because it identifies innovative new solutions and business models and responds to and shapes trends and demands for a growing emerging New Mobility market.

• Academics would be interested in MobiPrize because it brings together projects from around the world that are working on Sustainable Transportation solutions, uncovering new approaches and pointing to needed research and education in this growing field.

• International Development professionals would be interested in MobiPrize because it catalogs sustainable transportation solutions arising from emerging demands and shifting demographics, and relates to larger trends in urban living and access to goods and services.

• Investors would be interested in MobiPrize because the wide base of candidates represents not only an exciting investment opportunity but also an opportunity for the betterment of their communities through sustainable transportation.

• Human Rights advocates would be interested in MobiPrize because it fosters innovations across the board, all over the world, from every walk of life in need of transportation solutions.

• Who else do you think would be interested and why? Contact us.

What is Entrepreneurship?

We like this definition:

“Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.” - Howard Stevenson, Harvard Business School

What is Innovation?

We like this definition:

““Innovation occurs when different points of view and different existing elements are reframed, reimagined or recombined in new ways to achieve a transformational product, process or service”. -Geoff Mulgan (Social Innovation: What is it?), Andrew Hargadon (professor at UC Davis and network theorist), and Richard Evans (arts innovation consultant).

What is Sustainable Transportation?

AKA New Mobility, sustainable transportation is about moving people, moving goods, and moving less in ways that are cleaner, greener, safer, healthier, more equitable (and hipper).

Why SMART MobiPrize?

Percentage of people in the world now living in cities: 50, and growing.

Also growing: the aging population, climate change, social inequity, traffic congestion, and pollution, all affecting the poor and vulnerable even more deeply. In a context like this we just can’t think about transportation the way we used to.

Response? “Innovation without regard to resources currently controlled.” Despite all odds, and from every corner of the world, cutting edge services, products, modes, technologies, infrastructures, designs, and systems are emerging to move us a just little closer to more livable, caring communities and more vital and sustainable economies.

These promising seeds of transformation need to be nurtured.

What is SMART?

SMART is an initiative  of UMTRI (the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute) and the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. It undertakes and catalyzes research, demonstration projects (Living Labs), education, and global learning exchange on a range of issues related to the sustainable future of transportation in an urbanizing world.

Recognizing the complexity of the challenge and the sophistication of the innovation required, SMART takes a systems approach to urban mobility, or more broadly, accessibility. As a university-wide initiative, SMART works with local and international partners from diverse sectors and disciplines to understand and develop new theoretical approaches, and to generate and accelerate implementation of practical, innovative, systems solutions and enterprises. Solutions that tell a holistic and hopeful story for the future of communities and the people in them.

Now Back to the PRIZE!

For 2013, MobiPrize will be joining forces with the OECD’s International Transport Forum. This May, MobiPrize will support the OECD’s International Transport Forum Transportation Achievement Award to be presented in Leipzig, Germany. Apply Now!

Then, come 2014 we’ll be offering exciting new prizes (and enterprise supports).  Watch our website as we build the momentum for a larger presence.

Note that even if you don’t win this year’s ITF prize or future grand prizes in 2014, you are still a winner because you will be listed in the SMART Mobility EnterPrize Registry of New Mobility Ventures. This listing profiles your enterprise and connects you with customers, VC’s, investors, other entrepreneurs, and potential collaborators.

Mobiprize is an award for entrepreneurial ventures in sustainable transportation. Created by the University of Michigan SMART initiative with the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation, MobiPrize recognizes enterprises that demonstrate innovative and replicable solutions to local and global transportation challenges.

Last year, we received great entries from all parts of the world showcasing a diverse range of innovations in the field of mobility. We are proud to introduce the two Judges Choice award winners Zambikes and Hangzhou Omnipay Co.Ltd. Our People’s choice Award went to Caronas Inteligentes. Also visit the 15 finalists and the new registry of enterprise submissions.

CEO and Founder	Marcio Henrique Nigro
Country	Brazil
Email	nigro@caronetas.com.br
Website	www.caronetas.com.br
One line description	Caronetas is a website that turns the carpooling idea into a collaborative consumption of the car. We provide a virtual currency that the user can buy and use to evaluate and negotiate every ride: at the end of the ride process the total amount accumulated can be redeem in virtual partner’s stores for the web ticketed price. The commuter’s safety is provided using corporative e-mails validation, and the company are encouraged to participate because it promotes mobility and sustainable consumer change: instead of buy and burn fuel, the user get goods and services, promoting development.

 

 
Enterprize Brief
Caronetas is a carpooling website, exclusive for people who own a corporative e-mail address, validated by the Company they work for. Caronetas introduces a ‘virtual currency’, which allows people to ‘pay’ for the carpooling, in order to share costs, and all the money involved in each transaction can be redeem for products and services in partner stores. At the end, the resources that would be burned with fuel, damaging the environment and our health, are redirected to production, generating goods and jobs. It’s unique because it ensures safety and provides a possibility to sustainable cost sharing through a safe and compelling way.
What inspired our company was the challenge of changing the mobility daily choice of the drivers, making then realize how they could make a collaborative consumption of their cars, getting rewarded for this choice.

Our objective is to contribute to the solution of the urban mobility issue, helping the drivers to be rewarded by the act of carpooling, through the possibility of the acquisition of products and services, resultant of a collaborative and sustainable attitude.
Besides, it allies value creation, social responsibility and environmental benefits, all together. Our goal is to reduce at least 10% of the cars out of the streets in the big Cities. We have been successful with Company’s commitment, with around 900 Enterprises registered during the first year. Our Plan is to expand operations to Mexico and United States over 2012.
 

 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Caronetas incentive the driver to share their cars through a safe, innovative and beneficial process, reducing traffic and GHG emission while promotes development creating goods and jobs. As a side effect, it also raises the offer of transport.

Our solution was developed by young entrepreneurs to address two main objectives:
1) improve big cities citizen’s live, reducing traffic, emission of toxic gases and contributing to social integration among people.
2) Creating an attractive process to promote what we call a smart swap: goods and services instead of burned fuel.

Once we promote the collaborative consumption of the car, using products and services to materialize user’s mobility choice, we introduce a new value to people’s life, changing their way to see how they spend their own resources. Also, since the ride is scheduled and can be paid on daily bases, we stimulates the user to decide every morning for his mobility choice, and it can be a bicycle, bus, ride or train and even more then one of them.
As a result we have a more sustainable, since we reduce the number or cars, a more equitable, since the ride prices should be lower than a taxi fare, and safe transport, since all the users should be working on registered companies.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Our business process is unique and innovative because it stands as an alternative of transportation to people who do not own vehicles and also allow possible monetary gains to cars owners through a ‘smart swap’ With this ‘swap’, we materialize the user’s mobility choice, and that makes the commuter tell his colleagues and friends that his Ipad or his mobile phone was an outcome of a car sharing option.

This transportation modal can also be perfectly integrated to other modals like subways, trains and buses. The integration with other transportation modals is crucial for the sustainability of the project. In fact, the Enterprise has been developing the integration inside the website, so people can understand how to perform carpooling and take a public transportation as a composition to their way.

Besides the importance of the integration with other modals, by increasing the occupancy of private cars, removing vehicles out of the streets and, as a consequence, we help the public transportation to reduce its usage. Public transportation with less usage means a better quality for the population in general, including urban poor.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Caronetas website can be implemented in any location in the World, where exists geo-reference, because it uses information from local maps (i.e: Google, OSM). There is a possibility to integrate information offered by the local subway, services of traffic information, location of bikes parking lot or any other information service to help the user decide his daily mobility option. Its technological base is DOT NET and mobile application can be customized locally in order to fits the local needs. At the end it’s a matter of language translation and cultural adaptation.
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Caronetas has completed its first year of go-life, with insertions in almost all media vehicles. We have about 900 Enterprises with 230.000 employees, from several sectors.

Awards:
Top 3 Greenbest 2012 (Academy award – websites)
Young Award Brazil (Premio Jovem Brasil 2011):

We had insertions in main Brazilian television channels: Globo, SBT, Record, Grupo Bandeirantes, Canal Futura and among them we highlight the following links.
http://g1.globo.com/globo-news/noticia/2012/02/rede-social-promove-caronas-por-meio-da-internet-em-sao-paulo.html

Media section: http://caronetas.com.br/Midia-Imprensa

Partners List:
SOS Mata Atlantica – http://www.vadegalinha.org.br/
SulAmerica – http://www.monitormercantil.com.br/mostranoticia.php?id=109435
TAM – http://www.webtranspo.com.br/agencia/24024-tam-estimula-funcionarios-a-dar-carona
Cenesp – http://exame.abril.com.br/economia/meio-ambiente-e-energia/noticias/inicia-na-avenida-paulista-acao-por-carona-segura
http://www.centroempresarial.com.br/pt-br/como-chegar/
Conjunto Nacional – http://ccn.com.br/localizacao.php
 

 
Enterprize Brief
Zambikes exists to transform lives by developing and providing efficient transport solutions throughout Africa Zambikes vision is to be the leading supplier of high quality and customized bicycles and accessories in the Southern African region. Zambia and most of Africa has issues with accessibility and rural transportation. We provide solutions to that problem that are custom designed and built locally, everything from an ambulance to carry a pregnant mother to the clinic for safe birth to a bicycle to help someone get to work and make more money.
OUR VALUES: Building grassroots relationships that lead to the empowerment of Zambians through job creation, skills training, and providing bicycles and bicycle accessories as tools. Aiding in sustainable economic development throughout Zambia by providing high quality bicycles and bicycle trailers that are manufactured, assembled and serviced by Zambians. Improving the quality of products imported into and products being exported from Zambia. Providing customer service as a top priority.
We are unique in that we hire uneducated and unfortunate Zambians and build there skills and capacity to help break the mindset of poverty. We build specific products to meet specific needs on the ground in Zambia.
We are a self-sustaining organization in Zambia and our goal is to replicate the Zambikes social enterprise model around the globe.
 
Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize?max. 250 words (40 points)*
Zambikes was created to serve the community in two ones. Internally serving the workers at Zambikes through education sponsorship, skills training, and leadership development. And secondly, the products and services rendered serve the community because bicycles and ambulances and carts help create income for any Zambian and help provide access to health care. Our carts and bicycles are used in every city around Zambia for hauling farm products from farm to market and helping people get to their jobs without paying high prices on buses. Our average age in the company is under 30 and the leaders running Zambikes are all under 35. By people in the cities and around the country using high quality bicycles and trailers, they are helping the environment by reducing smog and fuel issues and saving money for themselves. Zambikes has begun to even campaign with the local government to improve transportation in the cities by adding bike lanes and building a reputation in Zambia for cycling as a quality means of transportation and even sport (of which Zambians have only begun to be open to these things because of Zambikes efforts).
 
How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Originally, Zambikes began on the premise of designing and building high quality bicycles at an affordable price because we saw the lack of quality bikes and how hard local Zambians are on their bikes. Through the years, we improved our design to fit the market perfect and we also added cargo hauling carts for locals to transport more goods in less time. We noticed how they stacked up their bicycles and caused them to break down and were not even able to ride them (making the commute very long). Then we saw a need to transport people from home to clinic and designed and produced Ambulance trailers to hook onto any bicycles or motorcycle for urban and rural usage. Our entire company is built on the premise that innovation mixed with experience equals the best product for a given community. By putting over 900 ambulance trailers countrywide, we are able to impact the entire country with health care access.
 
Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Zambikes is very scalable, in fact, we have begun to scale to the next level and need help to keep going. In the last year we have had partners in Malawi, Uganda, Sudan, Congo, Tanzania, and even Argentina and Brazil ask us if they can replicate a “Zambikes” model in their country. There is a process to replicate and each country has it’s own set of needs which must be assessed. We have begun development of a “franchise” style model that we intend to replicate in as many places worldwide as possible. Our goal in scaling up is to impact communities and countries by providing relevant products and continue to carry the social infrastructure model that has worked so well in Zambia.
 
How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Most people measure success by the numbers. It’s hard not to. We try to keep our focus more on the lives we are able to actually see transformed from a mindset of complete poverty to a confident, dignified “I can” attitude. That is hard to measure qualitatively, so here are some numbers as well.

Began in 2007: Sustainable in Zambia since 2009 Over 25 Zambians being paid, trained, and developed since 2007 Over 8,000 bicycles distributed countrywide (and in 4 neighboring countries) Over 900 Ambulance trailers and Cargo Carts distributed since 2009. Over 350 Bamboo bicycle frames built and sold since 2009. (check zambikes.org for more info on Bamboo bicycles) Tens of thousands of people have been affected through Zambikes, it s hard to count.

Partners: Akerfa (akerfa.org), Africycle Malawi (Africycle.org), Benbikes Namibia (benbikes.org/namibia), CA Bikes Uganda (cabikesuganda.org), Bicycles for Humanity, Seeds of Hope Zambia, Worldbike.org, and a few more. We spoke at Velo-City in Sevilla, Spain, 2011, and Mobility 21 in Orange County 2010 and 2011, SoCap in Holland and San Francisco in 2011, and have been at trade shows around USA and Germany.

Enterprize Brief
Rising Pheasant Farms is a bicycle-based urban farm on the east side of Detroit. Established in 2009, we’ve been growing fresh vegetables and microgreens to increase fresh food access for our ourselves and our neighbors. We’ve also drawn inspiration from all the hard-working Detroiters who are reimagining their city and their food system. Our goals include growing the highest-quality fresh produce for Detroit, modeling a bicycle-based business, and helping others start up bicycle-based businesses –especially low-income residents inspired to take control of their food system. Through slow steady growth, we’ve expanded both the business’ production and overall income each year. We’ve attracted local, national and international attention for our work, and we hope that our business model will inspire others to take on similar challenges. We will continue to build our soil, invent new ways to move produce by bicycle and engage our neighbors about our food system, all while supplying healthy fresh vegetables to Detroit.
Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Rising Pheasant Farms strives to model the possibilities for bicycle-based enterprises in Detroit. Our low-cost, low-input model can be applied to many different fields, and we hope to support other businesses that are interested in human-powered transportation. Our focus on food access becomes even more essential in an urban environment where residents typically walk more than 2 miles to the nearest grocery store. Our neighborhood in Detroit has seen a great loss of housing, businesses and population and because of that, the residents who remain do not have easy access to fresh food. We operate a weekly farm stand in our neighborhood, in addition to selling at Eastern Market and participating in a city-wide multi-farm CSA (community supported agriculture) program.

Though we are a small-scale farming operation, we hope to reach as many residents as possible. As a young entrepreneur, I bring fresh ideas and new possibilities. My assistant manager, Mr. Howard, has lived in our neighborhood since early childhood and brings a grounding perspective, essential community relations, and local history to the project. As a team, we feel that it is necessary to think outside of the automobile “box” and take advantage of the opportunities of a bicycle-based business. As entrepreneurs, we use a ‘triple bottom line’ approach that requires economic sustainability with a social and environmental conscience. We feel that our bicycle-based business serves that bottom line, while acting as a model for other low-income residents to meet their community’s needs by bike!
How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Though bicycle-based businesses are seen around the world, they are relatively unknown in the United States and especially car-centric Detroit. Through creativity and determination, we’ve developed produce-specific trailer systems to move delicate fresh vegetable to market and local restaurants. In 2010, Rising Pheasant Farms annual fuel costs totaled $13.00. Besides reducing expenses and allowing for a financially flexible operation, our bicycle-based business model addresses the social and environmental impact of our current petroleum-dependent food system. Most farm operations use gasoline-powered equipment for all daily activities as well as hauling produce long distances by truck. Using bicycles and hand tools, we are developing new approaches to grow our food in the city and deliver it to our local markets without relying on petroleum-based products. At the market, we are able to sell our produce to our neighbors at a more affordable price because of this reduction in transportation and operational costs. With a future of increasing resource costs ahead, Rising Pheasant Farms is laying down a new path towards sustainability.
Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Bicycles are still the most common form of transportation around the world. In many countries, bicycle-based businesses are nothing new and rather common, but put in a different context–Detroit, for example–the advantages and challenges are real and exciting. Many low-income urban residents in Detroit and other cities can use our model for a low-investment, bicycle-based business to begin supporting themselves while meeting their community’s needs. We are also excited about the opportunities that bicycle-based businesses present for the youth in our community. Youth (15-22 years old) unemployment in Detroit is extremely high. As Rising Pheasant Farms expands in production, we hope to employ youth that are excited about bicycles to use their skills and experiences to expand our bicycle transport operation. Few things are more ubiquitous than the bicycle, which is why a bicycle-based business model can be made accessible to nearly everyone regardless of income. Rising Pheasant Farms is working to inspire those possibilities and support entrepreneurs in their efforts towards a truly sustainable business model.
How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Rising Pheasant Farms has been a successful business since its establishment. With a “grow slow” mentality and a hard work ethic, we’ve continued to expand our farming operation and bicycle transportation system each year. We have been locally, national and internationally recognized for our work in urban agriculture and promoting bicycle-based businesses. We have a large dedicated customer base as well as a strong community of urban farmers/gardeners with whom we share our knowledge and experience.

Our list of partner organizations include:
The Greening of Detroit
Earthworks Urban Farm
The Hub of Detroit

Please see below for a list of articles featuring Rising Pheasant Farms:
http://nymag.com/travel/weekends/detroit/
http://pavementpieces.com/rebuilding-detroit-urbans-farms-heading-towards-legalization/
http://blog.makezine.com/2011/09/09/farming-detroit/’
http://www.m-bike.org/blog/tags/rising-pheasant-farm/

We are featured in this new book:
http://www.americanwayofeating.com/
http://www.democraticunderground.com/101621517

We will also be in the Young Farmers Edition of Edible WoW this summer and are a finalist for the Young Farmer of the Year Award. http://www.ediblecommunities.com/wow/

 
Enterprize Brief
Zambikes exists to transform lives by developing and providing efficient transport solutions throughout Africa Zambikes vision is to be the leading supplier of high quality and customized bicycles and accessories in the Southern African region. Zambia and most of Africa has issues with accessibility and rural transportation. We provide solutions to that problem that are custom designed and built locally, everything from an ambulance to carry a pregnant mother to the clinic for safe birth to a bicycle to help someone get to work and make more money.
OUR VALUES: Building grassroots relationships that lead to the empowerment of Zambians through job creation, skills training, and providing bicycles and bicycle accessories as tools. Aiding in sustainable economic development throughout Zambia by providing high quality bicycles and bicycle trailers that are manufactured, assembled and serviced by Zambians. Improving the quality of products imported into and products being exported from Zambia. Providing customer service as a top priority.
We are unique in that we hire uneducated and unfortunate Zambians and build there skills and capacity to help break the mindset of poverty. We build specific products to meet specific needs on the ground in Zambia.
We are a self-sustaining organization in Zambia and our goal is to replicate the Zambikes social enterprise model around the globe.
 
Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize?max. 250 words (40 points)*
Zambikes was created to serve the community in two ones. Internally serving the workers at Zambikes through education sponsorship, skills training, and leadership development. And secondly, the products and services rendered serve the community because bicycles and ambulances and carts help create income for any Zambian and help provide access to health care. Our carts and bicycles are used in every city around Zambia for hauling farm products from farm to market and helping people get to their jobs without paying high prices on buses. Our average age in the company is under 30 and the leaders running Zambikes are all under 35. By people in the cities and around the country using high quality bicycles and trailers, they are helping the environment by reducing smog and fuel issues and saving money for themselves. Zambikes has begun to even campaign with the local government to improve transportation in the cities by adding bike lanes and building a reputation in Zambia for cycling as a quality means of transportation and even sport (of which Zambians have only begun to be open to these things because of Zambikes efforts).
 
How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Originally, Zambikes began on the premise of designing and building high quality bicycles at an affordable price because we saw the lack of quality bikes and how hard local Zambians are on their bikes. Through the years, we improved our design to fit the market perfect and we also added cargo hauling carts for locals to transport more goods in less time. We noticed how they stacked up their bicycles and caused them to break down and were not even able to ride them (making the commute very long). Then we saw a need to transport people from home to clinic and designed and produced Ambulance trailers to hook onto any bicycles or motorcycle for urban and rural usage. Our entire company is built on the premise that innovation mixed with experience equals the best product for a given community. By putting over 900 ambulance trailers countrywide, we are able to impact the entire country with health care access.
 
Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Zambikes is very scalable, in fact, we have begun to scale to the next level and need help to keep going. In the last year we have had partners in Malawi, Uganda, Sudan, Congo, Tanzania, and even Argentina and Brazil ask us if they can replicate a “Zambikes” model in their country. There is a process to replicate and each country has it’s own set of needs which must be assessed. We have begun development of a “franchise” style model that we intend to replicate in as many places worldwide as possible. Our goal in scaling up is to impact communities and countries by providing relevant products and continue to carry the social infrastructure model that has worked so well in Zambia.
 
How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Most people measure success by the numbers. It’s hard not to. We try to keep our focus more on the lives we are able to actually see transformed from a mindset of complete poverty to a confident, dignified “I can” attitude. That is hard to measure qualitatively, so here are some numbers as well.

Began in 2007: Sustainable in Zambia since 2009 Over 25 Zambians being paid, trained, and developed since 2007 Over 8,000 bicycles distributed countrywide (and in 4 neighboring countries) Over 900 Ambulance trailers and Cargo Carts distributed since 2009. Over 350 Bamboo bicycle frames built and sold since 2009. (check zambikes.org for more info on Bamboo bicycles) Tens of thousands of people have been affected through Zambikes, it s hard to count.

Partners: Akerfa (akerfa.org), Africycle Malawi (Africycle.org), Benbikes Namibia (benbikes.org/namibia), CA Bikes Uganda (cabikesuganda.org), Bicycles for Humanity, Seeds of Hope Zambia, Worldbike.org, and a few more. We spoke at Velo-City in Sevilla, Spain, 2011, and Mobility 21 in Orange County 2010 and 2011, SoCap in Holland and San Francisco in 2011, and have been at trade shows around USA and Germany.

Enterprize Brief
ViaCycle creates networks of bicycles that are available to rent instantly for short trips, providing clean, customizable, flexible, inexpensive transportation and improved mobility for any neighborhood or community. ViaCycle was inspired by our struggle to find transportation options in Atlanta while students. Atlanta shares many commonalities with the growing megacities of the world: crippling congestion, poor air quality, declining infrastructure, funding shortages, and large pockets of under-served urban poor. Bicycle sharing programs are an effective solution for improving urban mobility by offering more impact per dollar than any other form of transportation. Unfortunately, existing systems require extensive infrastructure such as kiosks and custom racks that are costly, clumsy, and prohibit efficient operation. These issues prevented us from implementing a program to serve Atlanta. As engineers we knew there was a better way, and we began designing our own system from scratch. ViaCycle bicycles can lock to traditional bike racks, reducing capital and operational costs. Bikes are checked in and out with cell phones. Programs can be managed effectively and economically at small scales, opening the door for bicycle sharing in markets previously impossible. In November our pilot program at Georgia Tech earned over 450 registered users, in just the first three months, and is earning us recognition by numerous business plan competitions and startup accelerators in the region. The pilot program provides us with valuable real-world experience in bike-share operation and feedback on how we can improve the system as we continue to seek funding to expand our business worldwide.
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Analysis on travel patterns shows that the urban poor mostly travel within a region. They choose to work nearby or live closer to employment centers. ViaCycle allows people to travel farther, giving them greater flexibility in choosing places to live and work, widening their employment opportunities and improving living conditions. Public bicycle sharing increases overall transit usage by providing first and last mile connectivity. Studies have shown ridership on all forms of public transportation to increase when bike-shares are implemented, multiplying their impact. Additionally, automobile use is reduced, lessening carbon emissions, and contributing to a healthier populace. Low income residents can work and live without bearing the cost of vehicle ownership. Bicycle-sharing also contributes to bicycles as an established mode of transportation, increasing driver awareness and subsequently increasing safety for all riders and pedestrians. With viaCycle, urban poor are not subject to bus or train timetables and routes. They can check out a bike and ride it anywhere, locking it intermittently so they can be certain it will be there when they need it. Other users cannot check out the same bike until the original user returns it to a GPS-designated zone and checks it in.

The founding members started working together as engineer graduate students in the Sustainable Design and Manufacturing lab at Georgia Tech. We shared a passion for environmentally-conscious engineering, which eventually lead to viaCycle. All members of the viaCycle team are under the age of 30.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Because there are no kiosks, viaCycle does not require a local power grid or paved sidewalks for secure mounting. Bike locations are designated by GPS, needing only signs to indicate locations to riders. Recharging of on-board electronics occurs with an in-hub dynamo and solar panels. Bikes can be secured to anything you can wrap a cable around, and checked out using a cell phone. Riders can take bikes anywhere, securing them temporarily. Urban areas can create hub-and-spoke transportation networks centered on existing transit stations. Urban poor can live and work without the cost of vehicle ownership.
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
The spread of cellular phones in the developing world make it available to most anyone. Payments can be charged through their phone service, negating the need for a credit card or bank account. Our software is designed to accommodate numerous pricing plans, such as paying per mile, per use, per month, or even offering free ues with the help of subsidies. Additional income can be made by selling advertising space on the bicycles. Riders can even be incentivized to ride by providing discounts or credits for riding bicycles to certain areas to aid in distribution.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
The viaCycle system is designed for scalability at every level, and can be replicated easily at any location. Our system works with ten bikes or ten-thousand bikes. Without the need for permanent street-mounted hardware viaCycle programs can be expanded and contracted as needs dictate. If certain regions have high demand, more bikes can be added easily and quickly. If ridership diminishes during colder months, bikes can be removed to reduce operation costs. Highly dense areas may have numerous bikes in a small zone, less dense areas may only have a hand full at bus stops and train stations. In all these scenarios the operation and use of the system remains the same, and the program can evolve and change to fit any need. Our technology can also be applied to other transportation systems such as electric scooters or car sharing, providing real-time data and intelligent transportation systems.
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Following over two years of research and development, viaCycle;s inaugural pilot program began operation on the campus of Georgia Tech in midtown Atlanta in November 2011. Over 450 people registered for the program in the first three months, and usage is growing steadily.
ViaCycle was awarded a Ford Motor Company’s Sustainable Communities grant, were top-five national finalists transportation category winners in MIT;s Clean Energy Prize, Cleantech Open semi-finalists, EPA’s People, Prosperity, Planet grant winners, and most recently won the StartupRiot competition in February.

Enterprize Brief
Tuk Tuk Factory was inspired by dysfunctional taxi businesses across Europe. Why is it easy and cheap in Asia and New York? Why do we call Taxi cars with a big star on the hood, even if you need a ride of just 2 kilometers?
Tuk Tuk Factory aims to develop a market segment for the last mile / short drive. And naturally, TTF aims to make a step change in impact. Our vehicles are green, clean, and even a bit less serious in looks. They feel like a micro holiday rather than transport. Yet they comply to all the toughest EU safety requirement in their segment.

TTF is unique as we’re the only company making these electric Tuk Tuks, including a 6-passenger model. We have developed all this on a shoestring, with 4 engineers.

Even more unique is tripp, designed from scratch for a and short ride.
Tripp will be ultra light (under 270 kilogram), carrying 3 passengers. And it will be a moped vehicle. A revolution in vehicle design process, in lightweight design, and in application.
TTF aims to unlock the taxi short drive market with tripp.

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
The TTF core team is very young, the average age is under 33. All core team members invested in TTF and are energized and extremely motivated to make a contribution to a better urban environment.
tripp will in short provide better access to clean and lower-cost personal mobility. Also it will create many jobs, for people who might not normally consider driving a taxi.

TTF has collaborated with GVB – the local operator of trams and metros in Amsterdam. This project connected the main bus lines to the big squares in Amsterdam. Now our Spanish distributor managed to get Moventia, the regional Catalunia operator, on board.

TTF’s launching project is Project Flex. Flex combines the social aspect of mobility to the environmental aspect. Flex trains people in a reintegration trajectory (urban poor), and provides them a job guarantee. They train on our vehicles in a small community in Rotterdam. They drive the people of this community around free of charge, providing a major contribution to the social coherence of this community. Finally, they drive green vehicles. 1 taxi replaces ~7 cars. So one electric taxi makes a big difference in Co2, air quality, and city noise, and city space.
This project is being rolled out across the Rotterdam area.

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
tripp is unique as it is the only vehicle that has been designed for specifically for the last mile / short ride. Currently, taxi businesses make use of standard automotive production models, with corresponding costs per kilometer and business case. And a corresponding driver profile.
tripp has 1 driver in the front, and three passenger in the back. Evidently it has an electric drive train. It has 100kms, ideal for most city or small town transport needs.

We believe tripp will cause a number of revolutions in the world of urban mobility:
- tripp will be the lightest weight production model vehicle for 4 persons on the globe. Tripp combines existing, proven and affordable technologies also from other industries. Costly materials such as carbon etc are consciously avoided, yet the weight without battery will be UNDER 270 kg. tripp will be available from Euro 14.500.
- tripp will have an extremely low cost per kilometer of ~ 17 cents per kilometer
- tripp will be the first taxi moped vehicle that can be driven without a car license, thereby opening the new categories of taxi drivers. (middle aged people, unemployed, no driver license)
- 1 taxi replaces ~7 cars. So one electric taxi makes a big difference in Co2, air quality, and city noise.
tripp will change the existing European taxi business case (low frequency, high cost) to the Asian model (high frequency, low cost). This will reduce transport cost by an estimated 50%, especially of interest for the poor / less wealthy.

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Initiative like Flex or GVB can be repeated in any major city in the world.
Furthermore, the ultra lightweight frame can be a blueprint for other EVs. We believe this frame announces the end of all metal frames.
TTF aims to collaborate with a network of cities that have identified clear sustainability goals, such as the Clinton 40 cities or Prize.

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Tuk Tuk Factory’s birth was in August 2008, just before the crisis . TTF managed not only to survive, but to develop 3 models, obtain an EU type approval among the first 10 companies in Europe, set up a Thai Ltd production company and keep the pipeline filled with tripp.

The number of people that made use of on of our vehicles is still relatively limited, although it exceeds 50.000.
TTF has been rewarded several national awards and received free publicity from aal (inter)national broadcasting stations, such as:
Deutsche Welle, Reuters

This does not include tripp. TTF considers to introduce tripp to the international market through a platform such as Prize.

G-Autos solves the following problems faced by citizens in their daily routine:
1) Provides last mile connectivity to an user living in interior or remote parts of the city. The user can avail the service to reach the nearest public transport hub.
2) The service is reliable, safe and very user- friendly.
3) The G-Auto rickshaw drivers are well behaved, knows the city well and trusted ones for late night travel
4) The G-Auto rickshaw drivers also provides reliable services for picking the guests from airport or railway station in the city.
5) The G-Auto rickshaw drivers are ambassadors for the city.

What inspired your enterprise? I , Mr Nirmal Kumar myself, a management graduate from Indian Institute of Management(IIM-A), is passionate about bringing positive social changes in the society. Instead of working for a plush job in a MNC, I decided to work in the neglected sector of auto rickshaws community. The auto rickshaws are one of the major mode of public transport in India and yet fraught with lack of professionalism, unsafe, unreliable and poor social status of auto rickshaw drivers.
Myself, was a victim of assault by an auto-rickshaw driver on overcharging , that particular incident triggered this initiative of organizing the auto rickshaw community in a more professional and modern way. The G-Auto, symbolically represents Green and Gujarat, the state where I operate the services.

What is your goal?
I wish to develop a huge network of more than a million professional reliable and trustworthy auto rickshaw drivers in India that would serve to more than 30 million passenger everyday within a span of next five years. Creating a robust feeder system for transport hubs in the city, like public transport buses, BRT bus stops, metro stations which will cut down the dependency on private vehicles.

What has been successful?
In the last three years of operation, more than 1000 auto rickshaws are under the umbrella of G-Auto across major cities of Gujarat in India. The initiatives has brought professionalism, behavioral changes, honesty and dedication towards better services among the auto rickshaw community associated with the project.
What’s in store for your future?
There is huge potential of up gradation and integrations G-Auto project. Auto rickshaws are going to play major role in urban transportation. To make public transportation system successful and robust model , last mile connectivity is must and auto rickshaws are the cheapest and the best option for it.
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
G-Auto addresses and integrates both social and environmental need. With the growing dependence on private vehicles and ever increasing number of vehicles on the roads, auto-rickshaws are seen as alternate mode of transportation. G-auto provides the last mile connectivity to passengers to transport hubs, buses and metro services cannot go to every doorstep but an auto-rickshaw can.

On social need, the auto rickshaw community in India still marginalized ones, coming from lower strata of the society with no steady source of income and no social benefits like insurance or opening a bank account.
G-Auto is tirelessly working to give an image makeover to this marginalized community by training the drivers in a professional way and creating opportunities for them to have a steady source of income . The Nirmal Foundation initiated innovative service like ANY TIME RICKSHAW (ATR) a call auto service, providing booking counter at places of high traffic like airport, railway station, bus stops, etc.
We also do liaising with financial institutions to lend loans for auto rickshaws to deserving drivers so that they could be upgrade to an owner from a driver.
Nirmal Foundation generates fixed revenue from charging facility charge to passenger against each booking. It also uses auto rickshaw as media of outdoor advertisement and a part of which is also shared with auto rickshaw drivers.
The model is self sustainable and scalable. We have proved it by sustaining the growth over three years. We have got several corporate and Government clients for the project. We have also expanded it geographically in the state of Gujarat in India.
Is it developed or led by a young entrepreneur?Yes, It is led by a young entrepreneur.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
The concept is first of its kind to bring auto rickshaw drivers under one social umbrella brand for common purpose and to give them social & financial security, prosperity and dignity. The concept gave a brand identity to auto rickshaw community.They respect the brand and do everything possible to maintain its dignity. Brand loyalty of passengers gets them more business. People feel the difference in behavior of auto rickshaw drivers of G-Auto. Nirmal Foundation earns revenue from sponsorship and advertisement on G-Auto. Public transport systems like metro rail and BRTS can partner with organized fleet of auto rickshaw as a feeder services.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
The project G-Auto has enormous potential to scale up in India. Auto-rickshas are found in almost all the major cities in India and constitute a major modal share in traffic in all the cities .Millions of people travel everyday by auto rickshaw. Project like G-Auto addresses social, environmental and economic aspects. The auto rickshaw drivers are provided with professional training on etiquette, dealing with passengers to make them more confident and socially aware. The project has got support of Government of Gujarat for social inclusiveness and innovation. We also get collaboration with Gujarat state tourism department to promote auto rickshaw drivers as tourist guide The project can be scaled up having a well structured plan for integration with major transport hubs like railway station and airports on OOSO model (O-Organize, O-Operate, S-Share, O-Optimize) of G-Auto. Installing the autos with GPS enabled services providing real time information on nearest bus stop and approaching BRTS bus. Collaborating with BRTS and public bus system, creating transport hubs for auto-rickshaws for economic travel. The cities across the globe can be adapted in different parts of the globe after some improvisation in the system.
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
The project started with mere 15 auto rickshaw from Ahmedabad and has more than 10000 auto rickshaws spread across three districts of Gujarat, India. Government of Gujarat has become the key patronizers of the project. There are more than 20 organization have extended financial or other kinds of support to the project. Nirmal Foundation has got invitation from Rajkot Municipal Corporation to be strategic partner to offer organized auto rickshaw services in Rajkot Corporation. Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad has conducted study on impact analysis of G-Auto in Ahmedabad City. Gujarat Tourism Corporation and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has become strategic partner with G-Auto to train auto rickshaw drivers on tourist guide.

List of Publicity:
1. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/IIM-A-to-conduct-
impact-study-of-G-Autos/articleshow/5121475.cms
2. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ahmedabad/Modi_flags_off_autos_with_ a_difference_/articleshow/4157492.cms
3. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-11- 19/ahmedabad/28072788_1_auto-driver-returns-autorickshaw-driver- purse
4. http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article&sectnam e=News%20-
%20Latest&sectid=2&contentid=20101106201011062025041826 c8a3c76
5. http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=2 &contentid=20110302201103020339067925e3cde2b
6. http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Ar chive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOIA%2F200 9%2F11%2F21&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T&PageLabel=4&am p;EntityId=Ar00401&AppName=1&FontSize=g2
7. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07- 29/ahmedabad/29828450_1_auto-drivers-g-auto-iim-a-alumnus
8. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07- 31/ahmedabad/29835532_1_autorickshaw-driver-auto-drivers-g- auto
9. http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3 &contentid=2010020420100204024224229a939d277
10. http://getahead.rediff.com/slide-show/2009/dec/10/slide-show-1- achiever-meet-nirmal-kumar.htm
11. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_autos-with-newspapers-internet- and-drivers-you-can-trust_1232623
12. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070320/asp/nation/story_7540797.asp
13. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-01- 16/news/27724525_1_campus-placements-iim-a-grads-iim-a-sources

List of partners:
1. State bank of India
2. Bank of baroda
3. Indian oil corporation ltd
4. Adani wilmar ltd
5. Sintex industries pvt ltd
6. Bank of India
7. UCO Bank
8. Reliance communications and infrastructure pvt ltd
9. Radio city
10. Govt of Gujarat
11. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation
12. Rajkot Municipal Corporation
13. Baroda Municipal Corporation
14. Bharat Petrolium Corporation ltd
15. Life Insurance Corporation of India
16. Friends of women world bank

The inspiration came from our own personal problems. For instance, when one of the founders were to commute by auto rickshaws everyday and was getting cheated by tampered meters, Suruk, a GPS-based meter was born. When the founders family members had to wake up at odd hours to get down from trains, the wakeup call service, Pyka, was born.Suruk is being used by over 40,000 users across 140 countries. We are launching Pyka for the 8 billion train journeys in India in partnership with IRCTC. Our distress messaging app SOS is now a successful service in Nigeria.
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Each of our apps and services help people commute cheaper, safer, together, and better informed. The poor benefit from the cost advantage. The overall transportation system improves because of shared rides-roads are less congested, the air is cleaner, and transportation is more sustainable. Since commuters make informed choices, transport systems become optimal.
http://ideophone.in/products/suruk- Travel companion for autorickshaw and taxi commuters
http://ideophone.in/products/sos- One Touch SOS application
http://sosng.contritrack.com/- SOS Nigeria in partnership with Contrivances
http://www.ideophone.in/products/pyka/- Rail passenger wakeup call service, under pilot with Indian Railways (8 billion trips per year)
http://www.ideophone.in/products/sms/- autofare lookup over SMS
http://www.ideophone.in/products/kopa/- ride sharing app for people attending events

All the founders and team members are under 35.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
The uniqueness comes from the following:
1.The focus on making travel and commute cheaper, safer, together, and better informed
2.Creative use of travel information to provide journey-aware apps; Pyka (wakeup alarm call service without any app install) and Suruk meter were the first of their kinds.
3. Urban poor benefit by leveraging public transport information 
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Though we originally focused on ‘Bajaj countries’, countries where Bajaj autorickshaws are sold, we realised that even developed countries have a number of problems with transportation. Hence, we are distributing our apps and services across the world.

Our SOS as a Service model is already being replicated in African countries like Nigeria, Morocco, and Angola. We partner with insurance companies, telecom operators, and other partners.We are in talks with National Rail UK to offer Pyka rail passenger alarm service in the UK.Suruk app is already being used in 140 countries. (http://www.ideophone.in/blog/where-do-our-nokia-downloads-come-from/)

Kopa – ridesharing app is universally applicable, we want to distribute it in partnership with companies like EventBrite
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
We have been running the enterprise since July 2010. We have 80,000 unique users across our apps from 140 countries, even though we could not afford to do any marketing.

We got a number of awards including mBillionth-a South Asian award for mobile innovation for the masses, App2Fame for the best mobile apps available over SMS, and Intel AppPitch challenge. We were also shortlisted for the Red Herring Asia and Asia Top50 Apps lists. We are shortlisted for the DST-Lockheed Martin India Innovation Growth Program. Our apps have been covered in several media including The WallStreet Journal (http://www.ideophone.in/media/).
 

CEO and Founder	Marcio Henrique Nigro
Country	Brazil
Email	nigro@caronetas.com.br
Website	www.caronetas.com.br
One line description	Caronetas is a website that turns the carpooling idea into a collaborative consumption of the car. We provide a virtual currency that the user can buy and use to evaluate and negotiate every ride: at the end of the ride process the total amount accumulated can be redeem in virtual partner’s stores for the web ticketed price. The commuter’s safety is provided using corporative e-mails validation, and the company are encouraged to participate because it promotes mobility and sustainable consumer change: instead of buy and burn fuel, the user get goods and services, promoting development.

 

 
Enterprize Brief
Caronetas is a carpooling website, exclusive for people who own a corporative e-mail address, validated by the Company they work for. Caronetas introduces a ‘virtual currency’, which allows people to ‘pay’ for the carpooling, in order to share costs, and all the money involved in each transaction can be redeem for products and services in partner stores. At the end, the resources that would be burned with fuel, damaging the environment and our health, are redirected to production, generating goods and jobs. It’s unique because it ensures safety and provides a possibility to sustainable cost sharing through a safe and compelling way.
What inspired our company was the challenge of changing the mobility daily choice of the drivers, making then realize how they could make a collaborative consumption of their cars, getting rewarded for this choice.

Our objective is to contribute to the solution of the urban mobility issue, helping the drivers to be rewarded by the act of carpooling, through the possibility of the acquisition of products and services, resultant of a collaborative and sustainable attitude.
Besides, it allies value creation, social responsibility and environmental benefits, all together. Our goal is to reduce at least 10% of the cars out of the streets in the big Cities. We have been successful with Company’s commitment, with around 900 Enterprises registered during the first year. Our Plan is to expand operations to Mexico and United States over 2012.
 

 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Caronetas incentive the driver to share their cars through a safe, innovative and beneficial process, reducing traffic and GHG emission while promotes development creating goods and jobs. As a side effect, it also raises the offer of transport.

Our solution was developed by young entrepreneurs to address two main objectives:
1) improve big cities citizen’s live, reducing traffic, emission of toxic gases and contributing to social integration among people.
2) Creating an attractive process to promote what we call a smart swap: goods and services instead of burned fuel.

Once we promote the collaborative consumption of the car, using products and services to materialize user’s mobility choice, we introduce a new value to people’s life, changing their way to see how they spend their own resources. Also, since the ride is scheduled and can be paid on daily bases, we stimulates the user to decide every morning for his mobility choice, and it can be a bicycle, bus, ride or train and even more then one of them.
As a result we have a more sustainable, since we reduce the number or cars, a more equitable, since the ride prices should be lower than a taxi fare, and safe transport, since all the users should be working on registered companies.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Our business process is unique and innovative because it stands as an alternative of transportation to people who do not own vehicles and also allow possible monetary gains to cars owners through a ‘smart swap’ With this ‘swap’, we materialize the user’s mobility choice, and that makes the commuter tell his colleagues and friends that his Ipad or his mobile phone was an outcome of a car sharing option.

This transportation modal can also be perfectly integrated to other modals like subways, trains and buses. The integration with other transportation modals is crucial for the sustainability of the project. In fact, the Enterprise has been developing the integration inside the website, so people can understand how to perform carpooling and take a public transportation as a composition to their way.

Besides the importance of the integration with other modals, by increasing the occupancy of private cars, removing vehicles out of the streets and, as a consequence, we help the public transportation to reduce its usage. Public transportation with less usage means a better quality for the population in general, including urban poor.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Caronetas website can be implemented in any location in the World, where exists geo-reference, because it uses information from local maps (i.e: Google, OSM). There is a possibility to integrate information offered by the local subway, services of traffic information, location of bikes parking lot or any other information service to help the user decide his daily mobility option. Its technological base is DOT NET and mobile application can be customized locally in order to fits the local needs. At the end it’s a matter of language translation and cultural adaptation.
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Caronetas has completed its first year of go-life, with insertions in almost all media vehicles. We have about 900 Enterprises with 230.000 employees, from several sectors.

Awards:
Top 3 Greenbest 2012 (Academy award – websites)
Young Award Brazil (Premio Jovem Brasil 2011):

We had insertions in main Brazilian television channels: Globo, SBT, Record, Grupo Bandeirantes, Canal Futura and among them we highlight the following links.
http://g1.globo.com/globo-news/noticia/2012/02/rede-social-promove-caronas-por-meio-da-internet-em-sao-paulo.html

Media section: http://caronetas.com.br/Midia-Imprensa

Partners List:
SOS Mata Atlantica – http://www.vadegalinha.org.br/
SulAmerica – http://www.monitormercantil.com.br/mostranoticia.php?id=109435
TAM – http://www.webtranspo.com.br/agencia/24024-tam-estimula-funcionarios-a-dar-carona
Cenesp – http://exame.abril.com.br/economia/meio-ambiente-e-energia/noticias/inicia-na-avenida-paulista-acao-por-carona-segura
http://www.centroempresarial.com.br/pt-br/como-chegar/
Conjunto Nacional – http://ccn.com.br/localizacao.php
 

Enterprize Brief
Roadify solves a daily chronic pain potentially for millions of public transit riders around the world; when is my train, bus or boat coming? We aggregate real-time arrival data from official sources + crowdsourced commentary about local transit conditions from our users and Twitter on a single platform. We distribute it to 1) riders on an iPhone app for easy access to relevant local info in one tap and, 2) publishers, apps, websites and other enterprises via API (not yet released) as a single source for the most timely information for their customers. Roadify users engage with our app more often than the users of other mobile navigation apps.

Roadify is unique because we’re both a platform and a mobile app which gives us the potential for global scale:

1. We combine official transit agency data with commentary from riders to provide real-time and on-the-spot information about travel conditions
2. Roadify users don’t have to follow Twitter; we provide contextualized Tweets for their routes within the app.
3. We cover all forms of transit – bus, train, subway, light-rail, tram, ferry, etc
4. We can scale globally because of our platform architecture and proprietary data management tools. We’re in New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Austin with plans for rapid global expansion.
5. Our user experience is for regular, not occasional riders. They already know where they’re going and simply want to know what to expect.
6. Roadify won the 2011 New York City Big Apps Grand Prize.

Download our presentation
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Our venture meets the Prize goals in every way described across the entire transportation network for all markets.

1. We address universal behavior:1) everyone using public transit wants to know when their ride is coming, why it’s late and;2) they want to tell others about problems. We give them best available real-time or schedule information. They can “give” a location to update arrival times. Users share comments within Roadify and Twitter with the entire riding community.
2. We will make this content available via API to other outlets including public billboards, kiosks, websites, etc, for riders without mobile devices
3. Roadify could be used as a text service by riders without smartphones. Our original product was a text service for giving and getting bus locations in New York. Text has great potential in markets with limited smartphone penetration, including South Asia, Latin America and Africa.
4. We save people time which makes them more productive or happier. Knowing when their ride is coming gives people more control over their lives. These savings add up.
5. We contribute to sustainable transportation. Better informed riders are more likely to take public transportation. This creates transit agency revenue and alleviates automobile congestion and pollution.
6. We contribute to a sense of public safety because riders can communicate with each other. This can be a benefit to emergency responders when transit-related incidents occur such as equipment breakdown, power outages, weather conditions, earthquakes, unrest, terrorism, etc.

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Our approach to integrating official and user generated information is unique and innovative, along with the scale enabled by our platform model.

1. We’re multi-mode (serve all transit modes) and can scale across many markets because our content is in the cloud. Most apps require separate downloads for each market and are single-mode.
2. We combine official and user-generated content. Most apps only have official data which is often limited and not as timely as users can provide, on-the-spot, when there are incidents.
3. We’re tapping into the growing open data movement to liberate official government information. By helping citizens become more informed about transit availability we facilitate mobility and contribute to economic opportunity.
4. Although we’re focused on regular users, travelers will be able to use Roadify in many markets without having to download and learn how to use new apps.
5. Our business model is innovative in that it creates revenue opportunities from 1) our app via the sale of premium services, location-based advertising and mobile payments and; 2) our platform/API via licensing arrangements and advertising revenue share.

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Our product and business are scalable globally because our unique and innovative platform architecture and model allows us to add new markets as a data management task without requiring technology development. Increasingly, transit schedule and real time data is available in the Google GTFS format- now for hundreds of transit systems around the world. We intend to partner with many distribution outlets including enterprises, publishers, geospatial content distributors and others to extend access to our service. Long term, we see potential for Roadify’s platform to be adapted to other industries such as shipping and logistics management, energy and others where there is a demand for real-time structured data to be integrated with crowd-sourced content for mobile display
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
We’ve received a lot of acclaim since our app went live in late 2010 and especially since we released our redesigned version in February 2012. Here are some highlights:

Awards/honors:

• Won 2011 NYC Big Apps Grand Prize
• New Cities Foundation & “Connected Commuter”; Task Force transit app 2012
• NYC MTA App of the Week 4/11
• AM New York Top 3 transit apps 2011
• First app to be reviewed by New York Times AppCity column
• Favorite free app by TimeOut NY 2011

Utilization Metrics:

• 100K downloads; daily download rate is 5X one year ago
• 240,000+ sessions since release of redesigned app in Feb 2012
• ~30% utilization in Feb ‘12
• 27% are heavy users–used the app 4+ times/week
• Roadify beats benchmark mobile app navigation category
• -Weekly average utilization is 25% greater
• -Long term retention is 2X

Director - Business Development	Derrick Moennick
Country	Canada
Email	derrick@sandvault.com
Website	www.publicbikeshare.com www.sandvault.com
One line description	Public Bike Share solutions

 

 

Enterprize Brief

• Our company takes the latest in technology and uses it to overcome the public mobility challenge of the last mile in public transit.
• Solar energy, wireless communications and RFID technology.
• We have designed a completely modular bike share solution flexible enough to utilise almost any two wheeled transportation device.
• To be the leading supplier of bike share control systems.
• We have launched in Miami Beach with 1000 bikes and have been the only for profit bike share world wide.
• Large deployments of bike share solutions world wide.

 
Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Public BIke Share helps with the last mile of transportation. The US Conference of Mayors state increasing bicycle use can:

• Improve the environment by reducing the impact on residents of pollution and noise, limiting greenhouse gases, and improving the quality of public spaces.
• Reduce congestion by shifting short trips (the majority of trips in cities) out of cars. This will also make cities more accessible for public transport, walking, essential car travel, emergency services, and deliveries.
• Save lives by creating safer conditions for bicyclists and as a direct consequence improve the safety of all other road users. Research shows that increasing the number of bicyclists on the street improves bicycle safety.
• Increase opportunities for residents of all ages to participate socially and economically in the community, regardless income or ability. Greater choice of travel modes also increases independence, especially among seniors and children.
• Boost the economy by creating a community that is an attractive destination for new residents, tourists and businesses.
• Enhance recreational opportunities, especially for children, and further contribute to the quality of life in the community.
• Save city funds by increasing the efficient use of public space, reducing the need for costly new road infrastructure, preventing crashes, improving the health of the community, and increasing the use of public transport
• Enhance public safety and security by increasing the number of eyes on the street and providing more options for movement in the event of emergencies, natural disasters, and major public events.
• Improve the health and well-being of the population by promoting routine physical activity.

US Conference of Mayors, 2003.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Our modal is to build and operate Public Bike Share solutions in local municiplaities. Our system utilizes the latest technologies to provide a solution for the last mile in an integrated public transit system.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Our system is easily scalable.
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
www.decobike.com is one of our clients.

Enterprize Brief
RideAmigos works with cities and regions to provide travelers with multi-modal dashboards, complete with walking, bicycle, carpool, vanpool matching, and public transit options, offering the ability to find other people who have a similar transportation needs along a similar route. Our system provides a friendly, fun contemporary user interface. This interface has been custom engineered to match vehicle trips between drivers and passengers; provide transit trip plans; enable users, employers and agencies to track usage and calculate emission benefits and cost savings; provide for the administration of surveys and incentive programs, including customized employer or regional programs; and generate administrative and user-generated reports.

Inspired by the destructive element of traffic in Los Angeles, the unifying, and unique characteristic of the many features we offer, is the concept of gaming, competition, and recognition and reward for accomplishments. The nature of our competitive system creates incentives for all parties involved, and allows for what we call ‘eco-pride’, with the feeling of personal and group reward. How nice it feels to be ‘the best biker in Los Angeles’ for example, and be rewarded for such an accomplishment. Individual, inter-employer, and inter-city competitions will help stear the way to change.
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40
points)*

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Our team, technology, communication, and spirit go well beyond this proposal. Our strategy offers a solution to providing people with a new tool to travel within community, not through it. RideAmigos is the creator of the first Virtual Transportation Management Office (TMO/TMA/TDM). Our community must evolve from the traditional mind-set of offering a ‘Ride Matching’ system to its citizens, and rather provide a ‘multi-modal’ system, educating the public on just how many modes of transportation exist that do not necessitate driving alone. The RideAmigos’ multi-modal trip planner that simultaneously displays walking, biking, driving, public transit directions, as well as carpooling/vanpooling options sorted by school, district, and region, with a cost/time/CO2/ health benefit analysis of each mode. The system is complimented by a personal commute dashboard, which tracks, manages, and records these trips for users, employers, and communities.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*

COO , Co-Founder	Jason Meinzer
Country	USA
Email	jason@zagster.com
Website	www.zagster.com
One line description	Zagster is developing software that turns bike rides into cash

 

 

Enterprize Brief
Briefly, Zagster is developing software that turns bike rides into cash.
Our current software manages 55 bike share programs across the states. Bike sharing is car sharing (e.g. ZipCar) with bikes. Citywide bike shares like the one in Paris (50 million trips/year) are not sustainable and in dire need of additional revenue streams. To solve this problem we’re building out our software to track and monetize the bike trips that displace carbon-emitting trips (e.g. car) through carbon credit commodities ($144 billion market).

We’ve proven to be the experts of the industry from over four years consulting, received funding from the Ben Franklin Technology Partners and are working with The World Bank to integrate our carbon methodology into the Rio bike share prior to Rio20.
Now that our carbon methodology is complete (bit.ly/bikesharemethodology), we hold first-rights to monetize credits from transportation and aim to scale into other high-growth verticals. We’ve also released a free mobile app that lets users track their carbon savings from biking: www.rewardeed.com.
 

Does your venture meet the goals of the Prize? max. 250 words (40 points)*
Zagster is enabling bike shares to proliferate world wide to become an integral part of the transportation fabric. Bike sharing encourages multi-modal transport, typically filling in the gap of the ‘last mile’ of a commute. Zagster was founded by two individuals in their early twenties, after witnessing the launch of the world’s first bike share in Paris in 2007.

The benefits of putting more people on bikes are vast, including benefits of health, safety, environmental, etc.Zagster’s carbon methodology (bit.ly/bikesharemethodology) has been validated under the Verified Carbon Standard Association (VCSA), bringing to fruition the four-year development of a system that will energize bicycle sharing the world over.
 

How is your venture unique and innovative? max. 200 words (20 points)*
Our current software manages 55 bike share programs across the states. Bike sharing is car sharing (e.g. ZipCar) with bikes. Citywide bike shares like the one in Paris (50 million trips/year) are not sustainable and in dire need of additional revenue streams. To solve this problem we’re building out our software to track and monetize the bike trips that displace carbon-emitting trips (e.g. car) through carbon credit commodities ($144 billion market).

With Zagster, bike-sharing programs can track, certify and monetize carbon offset credits gained through the use of their shared bicycles. The software turns bike rides into cash through the creation and sale of those credits, creating additional income that will make bike shares more economically viable in a time when many municipalities lack the funds to maintain them.
 

Is your enterprise scalable or replicable? max. 150 words (20 points)*
Now that our carbon methodology is complete (bit.ly/bikesharemethodology), we hold first-rights to monetize credits from transportation and aim to scale into other high-growth verticals (electric vehicles included). We’ve also released a free mobile app that lets users track their carbon savings from biking: www.rewardeed.com.
We’ve worked relentlessly over the past five years putting blood, sweat, tears and significant capital into creating this methodology so that the world could use such as a public good to induce more people to get on more bicycles worldwide. Getting more people on bikes, however, is just the beginning as this methodology is versatile to adapt to other modes of transportation provided they are less carbon-intensive than driving an automobile, e.g. scooters, buses, BRT, etc.
 

How would you demonstrate the success of your enterprise? max. 150 words (20 points)*
“We are currently working with The World Bank to integrate our carbon methodology into the Rio bike share prior to Rio20. We would love the opportunity to have our contacts within The World Bank add more color to our application here
Also, key accomplishments:
• Proven industry experts assisting over 100 clients from over 3 years consulting.
• Zagster is currently managing over 55 bike shares throughout the nation, with over 12,000 unique bike rides tracked.
• Featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, US News and World Report, Reuters, Fast Company, etc.
• Received funding from Ben Franklin Technology Partners.
• Hold LOI from the largest bike share operator of the USA.
• Developed mobile application i.e. extension of future software: www.rewardeed.com.
• Developed America’s only carbon methodology designed for transportation.