Kohtla-Järve innovation competition welcomes smart city solutions

Tehnopol Science and Business Park in cooperation with the town of Kohtla-Järve is organizing innovation competition for the second year in a row to find smart city solutions for Kohtla-Järve. The prize pool this year is 30,000 euros (maximum 10,000 euros per solution).

The aim of the innovation competition is to support start-ups and companies that would transform Kohtla-Järve into a more modern, human-friendly and sustainable urban environment – either creating completely new solutions or developing further already existing products or services. In addition to funding, the town will offer companies help with contacts, infrastructure and testing environment. Start-ups and companies are welcome from all over Estonia and one solution can get funding for up to 10,000 euros.

Olga Kurdovskaja, the coordinator of smart city innovation competition at Ida-Virumaa, said that Tehnopol aims to support the world-changing innovation and technology entrepreneurship. This is why Tehnopol is focusing on developing urban environments through the innovation foundation with sustainable and smart solutions. “The solar-powered kindergarten façade that was recently put up in Kohtla-Järve by go vertic is a good example of how smaller local governments can also make urban environments friendlier and more sustainable,” said Kurdovskaja. She added that Kohtla-Järve is an inspiring example to other local governments who are also welcome to join the innovation foundation.

The competition welcomes ideas that would make the town a better place for its habitants and visitors. Some examples of what kind of solutions are needed in Kohtla-Järve: solutions that would increase the safety of pedestrians and people with disabilities; solutions that would help save electricity; solutions that would help decrease the expenses connected with deep garbage containers and that would encourage people to separate different types of trash. These are merely some examples, other solutions are also welcome.

The application period lasts until March 27. Conditions and application information can be found here (in Estonian and Russian): innovatsioonifond.tehnopol.ee/kohtla-jarve/

If you have any questions concerning the competition, please write: olga.kurdovskaja@tehnopol.ee