About the challenge

Submissions are now open for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the ASEAN-Australia Smart Cities Trust Fund (AASCTF) Smart Cities Datathon 2021. To build back better and smarter from the covid-19 pandemic and develop digital solutions for building livable cities, the ADB, in collaboration with AASCTF, has launched a challenge and invites challengers from different regions of the world to submit their solutions on the focus areas of the challenge. Hence, if you are eligible for the challenge, it is a good chance to win 20,000 USD.

Quick details

Submission period: March 17- May 31, 2021, MIDNIGHT GMT+8

Organizers: ADB, ASEAN-Australia SSTF (AASCTF)

Number of teams advancing to shortlist: 5

Finalist teams: 5

Benefits

• The challenge awards the best solution that addresses one or more of the focus areas of the challenge 20,000$ in seed funding.
• Besides, the winning team will get an opportunity to execute the solution with ADB. According to the solution provided and the interest from ADB, contestants may be invited to participate in the pilot of the tool for broad use across ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs).

Who can participate?

• ADB is inviting innovators (startups, university vs school students, research organizations and independent scholars, corporate partners) around the world to participate in the competition by submitting their solution(s).
• Participants can join it in the form of teams of 1-5 people.

Selection

Up to five finalist teams will present their solution online in front of a panel of distinguished judges that will evaluate the submission. Consequently, it will choose five finalists of which the best solution will win 20,000USD.

The panel will consist of ADB representatives, the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, UN-Habitat, Smart Cities Council Australia New Zealand, and the Bandung City Government.

How to submit a solution?

Teams can submit their solutions to ADB-AASCTF online by filling the form below.

Submit Now

• Teams can submit up to three solutions for the focus areas outlined.

What to submit?

The challenge invites challengers to orient their solutions toward how digital solutions can be used to make more livable cities by addressing one or more of the following problem statements:

Access to urban services and facilities

• How can we make sure that vulnerable groups find reliable access to urban services and amenities?

Participation and influence in the decision-making process

• How can we assure the inclusion of vulnerable groups’ voices and their consideration in policy discussions and decision-making?

Furthering financial access

• How can the cities’ capacity be improved to digitally enhance their financial mechanisms to render better support to vulnerable groups (namely loans, fintech smart payments, etc.)?

Important Timelines

Application period: March 17 to May 31, 2021

• Register and submit your Solution Pitch Deck!

First Online Voting: June 1 to 14, 2021

• The Top 10 Solutions will advance to the shortlist.

Mentoring Phase: June 14 to 28, 2021

• Guidance from ADB experts to further enhance submissions.

Second Online Voting: June 29 to July 5, 2021

• The Top 4-5 Solutions will move to the shortlist.

Final Event: Mid-July, 2021

• Finalists to present to the Grand Final Jury of Judges

Read the challenge rules here.

For more information about the challenge, you are strongly advised to refer to the Official Challenge Link.