DETROIT  – The envelopes have been opened and the top 10 finalist for the second annual NextChallenge: Smart Cities competition where they will compete for up to $100,000 to demonstrate urban hardware and software technology solution in a real-world setting. New this year, a People’s Choice Award will be determined by audience participation colleges using an app for real-time voting.

NextEnergy, DENSO, DTE Energy and Wells Fargo sponsored the NextChallenge: Smart Cities. Finalists will pitch their ideas and present a video in-person to judges and guests at NextEnergy Center in Detroit on Dec. 13. Winner(s) will execute pilots of their solution in 2018.

“NextChallenge helps the industry to fast track partnership opportunities with vetted smart city solutions and tech innovators,” said Jean Redfield, president and CEO, NextEnergy. “We received more than 100 applications from around the world and we’re looking forward to the finalists’ presentations.”

The 2017 finalists are:
Ambience Data is focused on big data for smarter cities. Its End-to-End Smart Building Monitoring utilizes an IoT hardware and software package to monitor indoor air quality in real-time using a strategically deployed network of sensors. The data enables them to optimize HVAC systems, reduce energy costs, and increase the health and well-being of building occupants.

Derq, an MIT spin-off with a mission to eliminate road accidents by using artificial intelligence, is showcasing the benefits of Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) connected technologies on road safety and mobility in Detroit and beyond. Artificial Intelligence algorithms within their patented system can detect and predict dangerous or congested traffic scenarios and alert connected vehicles nearby through short-range communication.

Eco BCG offers turnkey services for energy efficiency, water treatment, power generation, waste management, and smart agricultural solutions. Their Energy Optimization Dashboards help museums capture critical data needed to attain energy efficiency targets while enabling the museum to teach the general public about energy efficiency.

EcoG is a cloud-based platform providing a customized electric vehicle (EV) fast charging experience. Its IoT operating system adds an API-Layer on top of electric vehicle chargers, enabling the monetization and integration of business-driven applications and services with the charging infrastructure.

GreenLots offers a comprehensive network management platform for both site hosts and electric vehicle drivers. It combines smart grid technology with energy management systems based on its SKY platform. Additionally, the Maven and GreenLots mobile app are integrated to enable drivers to sign up, share and charge an electric car sharing fleet with supporting direct current (DC) fast charging infrastructure.

Nextek Power Systems provides DC power networking solutions to enhance the flexibility, reliability, and efficiency of energy systems in buildings. Nextek is expanding the functionality of its platform to provide a secure beacon function, allowing authenticated users to move throughout a building, whithout repeated scanning. As a result, the building can become aware of the presence of the user’s profile and react accordingly.

SmartCone’s Bicycle-Pedestrian Safety Solution makes intersections safer through an innovative platform that uses a combination of heat detection cameras and invisible trip wires to detect non-motorized transport. The software triggers flashing lights on eye-level bollards to notify drivers when it’s safe to proceed and is capable of recording video, capturing license plates of dangerous drivers, and providing pedestrian and cyclist counts.

Switched Source LLC is a next generation startup providing power flow control technology solutions for distribution companies. Their patented Distribution Tie Controller device helps increase the efficiency and reliability of the last mile of electricity delivery of the electric grid for urban and suburban users – giving electric distribution companies a new level of control for managing power flows.

Tome, a leader in the design, development, validation and launch of mobility products, is developing a Bicycle to Vehicle (B2V) safety system in partnership with Trek Bikes and the University of Michigan to map the most dangerous areas on road, and provide alerts for vehicles and cyclists.

Trafisense is presenting a hardware/software solution for continuous real-time monitoring of dry-type power transformers based on proprietary machine-learning technology, offering accurate maintenance planning and early warning of high-risk situations. By processing data feeds from more than 10 electrical and environmental properties to identify the risk status of the hardware, Trafisense is able to notify the customer of exceptional conditions several days or weeks before they manifest.

The program tasked technology providers with proposing hardware and software solutions within one or more of the following categories: smart parking, smart mobility, smart infrastructure, and smart buildings. Innovations should be connected, interactive and data driven (i.e., “smart”), and contribute to safer, more sustainable communities.

For more information about NextChallenge or to register to attend Pitch Day, visit https://nextenergy.org/nextchallengepitchday/.