Tallinnovation competition brings smart city solutions to urban space

Four innovative solutions were selected from this year’s application round of the Tallinnovation smart city competition, organized in cooperation of the Science Park Tehnopol and the City of Tallinn. The winners were road safety sensors, solar-powered luminaries, drones for rescue operations and an innovative package recycling solution

The solutions proposed for the 2021 Tallinnovation contest were at a high level and the competition was intense. As many substantial ideas were submitted, twelve proposals qualified to the presentation round instead of the planned eight. From these, four winners were selected that will be supported. In the selection process, the novelty of the innovation, the practical necessity as well as their potential of the solutions for cooperation with the City of Tallinn were taken into account.

The winners were Thinnect, KrattWorks, Solintel and MyPak Solutions. Thinnect’s sensors provide an overview of traffic and noise levels of a certain area, thus improving traffic safety. KrattWorks offers drones with a special solution for law enforcement, rescue and firefighting operations. Solintel manufactures smart solar-powered hybrid streetlights. Mypak Solutions offers an innovative Ringo package recycling service.

“The pace of global innovation and the introduction of new technologies on the market is extremely fast. That is why such a competition is useful for understanding what smart people are creating and promptly implementing their creations for the good of the people living in Tallinn,” said Deputy Mayor Aivar Riisalu.

Indrek Orav, CEO at Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol, said that Tehnopol supports the emergence, development and expansion of a world-changing innovation. “We support companies with both consulting and providing a test environment. The level of the innovation competition was high this time and we are happy to contribute to the implementation of ideas with our own knowledge and means,” said Orav. “Smart city solutions make both the living and working environment more comfortable, sustainable and environmentally friendly,” Orav added.

The aim of the innovation competition Tallinnovation is to find smart city solutions to make the municipal services and urban environment in Tallinn more convenient for both residents and visitors. The initiative stimulates cooperation between the city and technology companies, creating opportunities for the use of innovative hardware-based products and services. The competition, with a prize fund of 50,000 euros, was held for the second year.