Driving Change through Urban Transformation
Accelerating urban innovation by empowering grassroots leaders in their efforts to address urban challenges.
Program Thematic Areas
Tackling Urban Challenges Head-On: Solutions for a Vibrant, Inclusive Cities
Public Safety
Includes initiatives which ensure the security and protection of citizens, infrastructure, and assets. Examples include organisations focused on crime prevention, disaster preparedness and response management, fire safety, road safety, emergency medical services and cyber security solutions for urban environments.
Climate Action
Comprises initiatives working towards ensuring environmental sustainability and resilience against climate change. This includes organisations focused on renewable energy development, air pollution control, and sustainable waste management, all driven by innovative technologies. Additional examples include organisations specialising in solar and wind energy production, carbon offset projects, zero-waste solutions and reduction of industrial emissions.
Water and Sanitation
Focuses on initiatives that ensure access to clean water and effective sanitation solutions crucial for maintaining public health. This includes organisations dedicated to implementing clean water access projects, innovating in rainwater storage and water conservation strategies, addressing lack of access to potable water, wastewater treatment technologies, building and maintaining sustainable sanitation facilities and promoting sustainable water management practices.
City Planning
Focuses on initiatives that promote sustainable and inclusive urban development to enhance the quality of urban life and ensure equitable access to city resources. This sector includes organisations dedicated to smart city projects, affordable housing, sustainable urban mobility, transforming slums into healthier living environments, promoting accessibility and inclusivity to public spaces and integration of technology in urban management.
City Welfare
Focuses on enhancing the well-being and support systems within urban areas, aimed at ensuring safe, healthy, and inclusive cities. This includes organisations that provide healthcare access, community safety programs, and support for underserved communities.
Youth and Children
Includes initiatives that support education, development, and safety thereby fostering a nurturing and secure environment for children and youth to grow and thrive. This includes organisations that offer child education programs, skills training for youth employability, safe recreational spaces for children, and protect children from abuse and exploitation.
Urban Public Transport
Focuses on initiatives that enhance the efficiency and accessibility of city transportation systems. This includes organisations dedicated to developing affordable public transport options, improving last-mile connectivity, implementing advanced scheduling and routing technologies, integrating various transport modes like buses, metros, and bicycles, and ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities.
Sustainable Infrastructure
Concentrates on initiatives that promote environmentally friendly and resilient construction practices. This includes organisations dedicated to green building techniques and materials, use of sustainable and recycled materials for construction, developing energy-efficient building systems as well as the development of infrastructure capable of withstanding climate-related challenges.
Public Safety
Includes initiatives which ensure the security and protection of citizens, infrastructure, and assets. Examples include organisations focused on crime prevention, disaster preparedness and response management, fire safety, road safety, emergency medical services and cyber security solutions for urban environments.
Climate Action
Comprises initiatives working towards ensuring environmental sustainability and resilience against climate change. This includes organisations focused on renewable energy development, air pollution control, and sustainable waste management, all driven by innovative technologies. Additional examples include organisations specialising in solar and wind energy production, carbon offset projects, zero-waste solutions and reduction of industrial emissions.
Water and Sanitation
Focuses on initiatives that ensure access to clean water and effective sanitation solutions crucial for maintaining public health. This includes organisations dedicated to implementing clean water access projects, innovating in rainwater storage and water conservation strategies, addressing lack of access to potable water, wastewater treatment technologies, building and maintaining sustainable sanitation facilities and promoting sustainable water management practices.
City Planning
Focuses on initiatives that promote sustainable and inclusive urban development to enhance the quality of urban life and ensure equitable access to city resources. This sector includes organisations dedicated to smart city projects, affordable housing, sustainable urban mobility, transforming slums into healthier living environments, promoting accessibility and inclusivity to public spaces and integration of technology in urban management.
City Welfare
Focuses on enhancing the well-being and support systems within urban areas, aimed at ensuring safe, healthy, and inclusive cities. This includes organisations that provide healthcare access, community safety programs, and support for underserved communities.
Youth and Children
Includes initiatives that support education, development, and safety thereby fostering a nurturing and secure environment for children and youth to grow and thrive. This includes organisations that offer child education programs, skills training for youth employability, safe recreational spaces for children, and protect children from abuse and exploitation.
Urban Public Transport
Focuses on initiatives that enhance the efficiency and accessibility of city transportation systems. This includes organisations dedicated to developing affordable public transport options, improving last-mile connectivity, implementing advanced scheduling and routing technologies, integrating various transport modes like buses, metros, and bicycles, and ensuring accessibility for people with disabilities.
Sustainable Infrastructure
Concentrates on initiatives that promote environmentally friendly and resilient construction practices. This includes organisations dedicated to green building techniques and materials, use of sustainable and recycled materials for construction, developing energy-efficient building systems as well as the development of infrastructure capable of withstanding climate-related challenges.
Who Can Apply
Eligibility Criteria
Your organisation must be a for-profit social enterprise.
You must be addressing a critical urban development challenge with a focus on improving the quality of life for citizens.
Organisations applying to the program should be post-revenue, indicating that it has already started generating revenue from its operations or show a strong potential of generating revenue in the next 3-4 months.
The organisation must be a legally registered entity such as a Pvt Ltd, Partnership, One-Person Company (OPC), LLP etc. Please note Section 8 or non-profit companies are not eligible to apply.
The Selection Process
Application Form
Organisations interested in the City Champions program will be required to fill an application form.
First Round of Screening
Josh Talks shortlists 40 organisations based on a systematic scoring system.
Final Shortlisting
A committee from IIM Calcutta Innovation Park and Josh Talks, further shortlist 16 organisations moving forward to the accelerator program.
Accelerator Program
Top 16 organisations under-go an intensive 12-week capacity building program conducted by IIM-Calcutta Innovation Park, culminating in a demo day to pitch to a panel of investors and experts.
Award Ceremony
High-performing and high-potential organisations are recognised at the award ceremony. Government stakeholders, investors, media, and civic society representatives are to be present. The ceremony will be tentatively held in October 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is this award for individuals or for organisations or both?
You can apply to City Champions 2024 if you are a for-profit organisation.
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When do applications open?
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Can I nominate an organisation I know?
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What if I want to apply for more than one thematic areas?
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When will the final winners be announced?
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Is the accelerator virtual or in person?
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How does mentoring work for organisations, and what kind of help can they expect?