IDB launches Innopolis Contest to award urban innovation

The Cities Network of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) today launches the first edition of Innopolis, an urban innovation contest that will reward good practices of governments and local development agencies to face challenges in the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Specifically, the award will recognize ongoing or completed initiatives that have had a significant impact on the urban environment and the quality of life of citizens. The contest will reward initiatives in five thematic areas: COVID-19, economic reactivation and local employment, housing, mobility and connectivity, and urban sustainability and circular economy.

The proposals received will be evaluated by a committee of experts from the IDB Cities Network. The ten finalists will be documented in a series of case studies that will later be published on different IDB outreach channels. The documentation of these cases will be carried out in the context of a personalized workshop for the finalist teams that will be dictated by an academic expert in storytelling of cities.

Finally, the IDB will select three winners from among the ten finalists. The three winning cities will receive formal recognition in March 2021.

Institutions interested in participating must complete a form on the IDB call for proposals page.

The call is open from today until October 30, 2020.

About the IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social, and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance, and training to public- and private-sector clients throughout the region.