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SmartTO Innovation Challenge Competition

About

At SmartTO, we are driving innovation in Ontario’s transportation and mobility sectors. The SmartTO Innovation Challenge Competition invites startups to propose innovative solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.

After months of open ideation featuring 123 ideas, 132 comments, and contributions from 68 participants our analysis of the results has shaped our final challenge statement. The ideation phase has officially closed, and SmartTO is excited to announce that the competition is now open! Teams of startups are invited to submit their groundbreaking solutions in response to the key challenge statement below.

About the Challenge Statement

SmartTO is seeking Ontario-based startups in the mobility and transportation sector to help address challenges in the province.

  • Sustainable energy, including but not limited to electrification, alternative fuels, energy storage, and grid integration.
  • Intelligent systems, such as robotics, AI, automation, connected infrastructure, and advanced control technologies.
  • Last-mile delivery, covering micromobility, urban logistics, autonomous delivery, and innovative distribution models.

These are just a few examples—if your startup is developing cutting-edge solutions, we want to hear from you! Now, we invite you to apply and bring your innovations to life.

The Process

Key Dates

Competition Eligibility Criteria

Must be Incorporated in Ontario.

Fewer than 500 employees.

Business must operate in the transportation, automotive, or mobility sectors.

Demonstrated relevant industry experience and traction.

Solution must align with the objectives of the challenge.

Must leverage innovative technology.

Solution must comply with privacy, security, and liability standards.

Applicants who meet all of the above criteria will then be assessed based on both Commercialization potential and Additional Considerations, as outlined below.

  1. TRL (Technology Readiness Level):
    • Early Stage (TRL 3+): Evaluated based on potential, innovation, ability to demonstrate proof of concept, and feasibility of further development.
    • Mature Stage (TRL 5–6+): Evaluated based on readiness for deployment, scalability, and demonstrated market validation. 
    • Both stages are scored based on their alignment with the challenge's objectives and their commercial potential.
  2. Market Potential:
    • Clear market need or demand addressed by the solution.
    • Evidence of potential commercial success.
  3. Feasibility:
    • Technical and operational viability.
    • Clear implementation steps.
  4. Scalability:
    • Potential to scale regionally, nationally, or internationally.
  5. Uniqueness:
    • Differentiation and innovative elements compared to competitors.
  6. Alignment with Growth Areas:
    • Solution aligns with the challenge statement.
  7. First Customer:
    • Target customer identified.
    • Initial customer relationships or partnerships in place.
  8. Competitive Advantage:
    • Clear advantage over existing alternatives.
    • Difficult for competitors to replicate.
  9. Business Model:
    • Clear, sustainable revenue generation strategy.
  10. Plan for Real-Life Testing:
    • Testing plans for market-like conditions.
    • Defined milestones and success indicators.
  11. Expertise:
    • Relevant team expertise and resources to address potential gaps.
  1. Social and Environmental Impact:
    • Contribution to social or environmental goals.
  2. Innovation and Uniqueness:
    • Level of innovation and differentiation from competitors.
  3. Alignment with mobility ecosystem:
    • Support or alignment with relevant stakeholders.
    • Collaboration with partners or other collaborators.

SmartTO Demo Day & The Prize

Our exclusive SmartTO Demo Day event on March 26, 2025 will be held at a state-of-the-art venue - The Well in the heart of Downtown Toronto. The event will celebrate the SmartTO Innovation Challenge as well as another flagship initiative, the Smart Mobility Tech Accelerator (SMTA) program, in collaboration with YSpace. Finalists will be selected to pitch to key OVIN representatives, startups, academia, and valued industry partners. Top winners will be recognized for their innovation and impact, with valuable prizes to be awarded. Stay tuned for the full prize details, coming soon!

Partners

Thank you to our partners who play a crucial role in driving innovation and fostering collaboration throughout the challenge. Their expertise, resources, and commitment help create an environment where bold ideas can thrive and make a real-world impact.

We’re adopting a cutting-edge, open ideation approach powered by our partner, Innovation 360. With over a decade of expertise in successful innovation strategies, Innovation 360 offers comprehensive tools for ideation and commercialization, backed by data from thousands of global organizations.

SmartTO and its partners will collaborate with our community and external contributors to co-create, refine ideas, and drive innovation together.

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