Congestion Challenge Awardees Presented at 2009 ITSA Annual Meeting
Source ITSA:
ITS Congestion Challenge
The first global ITS Congestion Challenge, announced in June 2009, was open to entrepreneurs, commuters, transportation experts, researchers in all fields, universities, and citizens around the world. Three winners and six finalists from Hungary, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States, were selected by an open global community of more than 4,000 people, including transportation industry professionals and the general public.
1st PLACE
iCarpool provides commuters and other travelers with comprehensive travel choices for modes of travel other than driving alone. Read more.
2nd PLACE
FuelClinic, for their “Eco-System” and “Eco-Driver On Board” programs, which provide tools and certified eco-driving training to improve, track, and manage driver performance for increased fuel efficiency, increased driver safety, and reduced accident rates. Read more.
3rd PLACE
iCone Products, LLC, for an ITS concept to beam real-time traffic information over the Internet to a central web site for use by government officials, emergency response personnel, trucking fleets, the public and information resellers, including media outlets and GPS services. Read more.
More details and a video from the IBM Sponsored ITS Congestion Challenge
A few more details today about the ITS Congestion Challenge as well as a video from the conference. Apparently there were 116 startups from over 20 countries – not the 90 that I had been quoting in this blog and in our press release. Some additional details about how it all worked from the Spenser Trask blog:
The challenge from June through August. The VenCorps community reviewed and rated the 116 participating startups on five criteria: the speed and efficiency of their solutions; behavioral impact; safety; sustainability; and economic competitiveness. Based on community ratings, nine finalists were picked for the 30-day Showdown. During the Showdown, community members allocated VenCorps Points to their favorite challengers.
In this video Gerry Mooney, IBM General Manager Fiscal Stimulus & Economic Recovery, talks about IBM’s commitment to helping solve traffic congestion problems and their intention to support some of the innovative new ideas that made it into the final round of the Challenge.
This sounds like an outstanding opportunity.
FuelClinic.com takes 2nd Place at the Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) Congestion Challenge
A few days ago the results of the global Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) Congestion Challenge were announced at the VenCorps blog (registration required), and we were pleased to learn that FuelClinic.com had won 2nd place from a starting field of over 90 competitors:
The winners of the ITS Congestion Challenge were announced today in front of global transportation leaders at the ITS World Congress in Stockholm, Sweden. iCarpool won first place for $50,000 and 50,000 points, FuelClinic.com took second place for 25,000 points and iCone secured third place for 10,000 points.
These three companies will join the VenCorps portfolio, called the Launchpad. They will be able to use their points to grow by incentivizing our community to help them solve business problems big and small.
Judging from the results released at VenCorps, our little community turned out in force to compete against some very well established competition. Taking a look at the graph published at the VenCorps blog, you can see that iCarpool was simply unbeatable in this competition, able to motivate a virtual tsunami of voters for their cause.
Rachel and I would like to send a heart-felt “Thank You!” to each of you who took the time to lend your support for FuelClinic, and who believe in our efforts to improve our roads and highways through advanced driver education.
A 1st place finish included a $50K seed-funding award, unfortunately there was no such award for 2nd place in this contest. We continue to seek seed-funding to turn our prototype system into a commercial application. We continue to work to meet our shared goals of helping people save money, reduce our oil dependence, cut pollution, and create safer and more intelligent drivers.
The month long contest was held in August 2009, and was sposored by The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), IBM , Spencer Trask Collaborative Innovations (STCI), and partners.
Congratulations to iCarpool for winning the ITS Congestion Challenge
The much anticipated announcement was made earlier today at the 16th World Congress on ITS , and online at the ITSA website.
STOCKHOLM – 23 Sept. 2009: The Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), IBM (NYSE: IBM), Spencer Trask Collaborative Innovations (STCI), and partners announced the results of the ITS Congestion Challenge, a global competition to find the best ideas for reducing traffic congestion.
The three organizations announced the selection of iCarpool.com at the 16th World Congress on ITS in Stockholm. iCarpool.com, headquartered in Issaquah, WA, won the competition among more than 116 entries from 20 countries. The organization will receive a cash investment of $50,000 USD, which will be used for further development of its solution.
For more info on the ITS Congestion Challenge and the other finalists please see the full Press Release - PDF
We here at FuelClinic would like to say “Well done!” and congratulations to iCarpool on their 1st place finish.
Read the entire press release (pdf).
Thank You! for supporting FuelClinic at the ITSA Challenge
The ITSA Challenge is now finished, and voting is now closed.
An enormous Thank You! to everyone who took the time to help support FuelClinic in the ITSA Challenge. The winners will be announced in a few weeks at the ITS World Congress in Sweden. I’ll update this page and our blog as soon as I can with the latest information.
- Michael
From 90 to 9… I need your help getting to number 1.
It’s now down to the last few days of the $50,000 ITSA start-up grant contest.
The field started with 90 start-ups. FuelClinic was among 9 finalists selected on August 1st. It looks like we are in the top 3 start-ups, but there’s no way to know for sure.
Now we need to have as many points “allocated” by VenCorps “facilitators” as possible to win. You can become a “facilitator” for free, in no time, and immediately start with 500 points.
Here’s how:
Step 1: Register here as a “facilitator” – it’s free and immediate registration (you do not have to check your email to confirm it). If you’ve registered before, you do not need to re-register.
http://www.vencorps.com/join/its/
Step 2: Next find FuelClinic at this page:
http://www.vencorps.com/solutions/drilldown/OKS9uvE/
Step 3: Next, choose to “Allocate Points” to FuelClinic – your allocation is a “vote” for the winner. (You get 500 points when you registered.) This is the key step to winning the grant.
While you are there, take a look thru the business plan if you want – you can see how hard Rachel and I have worked to create a compelling pitch. If you aren’t sure what FuelClinic “is” – it’s explained there.
Winning this grant will ensure we can start building FuelClinic into a real business, changing our lives forever, and helping FuelClinic make a real difference in the world.
The challenge ends Monday, and I’m asking you to take less than ten minutes before then to help us secure a number one finish. Thank you for you time and your help! Please pass this around as far as possible.
- Michael
Due Diligence Call Marks Completion of Requirements for ITSA Congestion Challenge
Today Rachel and I had our due diligence call with Vencorp and ITSA Congestion Challenge experts. This event wraps up the final phase of requirements for the month-long process to build our strongest business case why FuelClinic should win the $50,ooo and the opportunity to be on stage in front of the “prime movers” in international transportation planning at the upcoming ITS World Congress in Sweden.
Click each tab in our profile to see our Executive Summary, Comments, 20 Questions, Team Profiles, Slide Presentation, and Expert Opinions at Vencorps.
Over the next few days we expect to see the experts add their opinions to the FuelClinic portfolio in that contest. Their opinions will round out the materials available there – which include our our pitch, the executive summary, 20 questions and answers, our team member profiles, our presentation slide show, along with comments from other facilitators in the Vencorp family.
This comprehensive collection of materials is our final submitted package for the funding contest, and paints the most complete picture FuelClinic ever available. If you are at all interested in learning more about this site, our business plan, or our vision – this is the one place to look for all the current details – many unavailable anywhere else.
While you are there, please help support us and give us the final boost we need to spark this smoldering success into the very next blazing success story – details about how you can join and apply points to FuelClinic are on this page. We’re up against 8 other strong solutions, and really need your support.
This challenge wraps up on August 31st, winners will be notified shortly after, with the big public announcement in Stockholm, Sweden at the ITS World Congress later in September.
Spread the Fuelishness!
Watch Fuelishness!
Subscribe to Fuelishness!
|
|
| Even if you don't visit Fuelishness! every day, get the latest via RSS or Email. |
Sponsor Fuelishness!
Search Fuelishness!
