The Challenge winner – Drugviu - developed a population health platform that empowers communities of color to use their data to improve health outcomes. Drugviu collects authenticated, user-generated health profiles from people of color that include their medication experiences and outcomes. Combining online reviews with pharmacist expertise and FDA data, Drugviu provides patients with better information and physicians and pharma companies with more data — all to ensure that communities of color can have the best possible quality of life.
Drugviu was selected from nearly 100 start-ups whose businesses tackle a range of issues including the built environment, sustainable economies, food/water/waste, and public health and safety. The Challenge culminated with a pitch event on Oct. 23, where a distinguished panel of business, technology and social innovation leaders from around the country had an opportunity to hear from each of the ten finalists. Judges included: Truett Tate, Chairman of the Board of Directors, QBE North America; Dan Franzetti, Chief Operating Officer, QBE North America; Michael Lake, CEO, Leading Cities; Sascha Haselmayer, Founder, Citymart and Ashoka Fellow; and Alyssa Hunt, Senior Vice President, Technical Operations, QBE North America.
As the winner, Drugviu was recognized as The Urban Champion and was awarded a cash prize of $75,000. Biocellection, a company that created a market-based solution to the plastic problem that's both scalable and sustainable was named the runner-up. As the Urban Pioneer, Biocellection received a cash prize of $25,000. Both companies will also have the opportunity to receive additional support and mentorship from QBE Ventures, the insurer’s venture capital arm, which aims to leverage its expertise and investments in technology to accelerate the advancement of innovations that are helping to solve global challenges.
The finalists are:
Drugviu
Clinical trials have a long history of leaving out communities of color. Melanie Igwe, founder of Drugviu, felt the impact of this injustice when her father experienced adverse reactions to his post-stroke medications due, in part, to this lack of medical data. She knew his story wasn’t unique. That’s why Drugviu is collecting authenticated, user-generated health profiles from people of color that include their medication experiences. Combining online reviews with pharmacist expertise and FDA data, Drugviu provides patients with better information and physicians and pharma companies with more data — all to ensure that communities of color can have the best possible quality of life.
Biocellection
After spending 10 years innovating recycling solutions, Biocellection co-founders Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao have created a market-based solution to the plastic problem that's both scalable and sustainable. Rather than downcycling plastic waste or using it to make fuel — which creates inferior products or further pollution—Biocellection molecularly recycles it, transforming plastic waste into virgin-quality engineering plastics. With high profit margins due to more valuable upcycled products, Biocellection is growing fast and helping to create an exciting market for plastic waste.
Dox
The co-founders of Dox have always envisioned a world full of drones, robots, and autonomous cars— and they knew that reliable clean energy would be key to tech of the future. Even if batteries lead the way in clean energy, however, battery waste and premature recycling creates a considerable carbon footprint. Dox helps companies predict battery behavior through their dashboard, notifying them before the battery fails and automatically scheduling maintenance. These tools help companies to not only be cleaner but save on costs at the same time.
SensCity
SensCity’s founders—five urbanites living in cities around the world—have seen destructive climate change first-hand, from deadly Australian heatwaves to post-hurricane New York City. Now they’ve set out to revolutionize the way cities prepare by providing key data to developers and environmental consultants. Their software, currently piloted in the city of Bendigo, helps governments and organizations gauge how urban environments are reacting to climate impacts, whether current programs are working, and determine future risk. Drawing on their research backgrounds, the team Is committed to sharing knowledge for a sustainable future.
ODN
What if we already knew where future car accidents will happen— and used that information to make cities safer? ODN is using technology to revolutionize the auto insurance industry, measuring the environmental hazards and risks that a driver faces on the roads. Identifying hazardous locations through geospatial calculations, ODN shares this information to help cities intervene and insurance carriers to incentivize safer behaviors. In Chicago and Washington D.C., ODN works with the Department of Transportation to equip cities to take a proactive approach to public safety.
Civlo
With income inequality on the rise, many urban residents face economic exclusion. The diverse team at Civlo, which includes academics, political scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs, is using technology to better identify these excluded communities. Recognizing the need for open communication between local governments and citizens, Civlo created community apps and the first social platform for city services. By empowering citizens and equipping governments, Civlo aims to boost inclusion, innovation, and transparency. They've already put $12M in taxpayer dollars to work in city infrastructure repairs.
Arqlite
Plastic waste is a huge problem, so the founders of Arqlite designed a scaled-up solution to match. Arqlite uses a unique process to upcycle plastics— the kind that cannot be currently recycled—in its Argentina facility to make a brand-new commodity product: Arqlite light gravel. Ideal for construction, the gravel’s light weight and superior insulation provides companies with an effective, cost-efficient product. With over 500 tons of Arqlite gravel produced—and more
products to come—the company seeks to solve the problem of plastic pollution.
Exergy
Four billion people currently experience severe water scarcity, yet the manufacturing industry continues to consume massive amounts of water to make tech products. The Exergy team invented a solution that purifies and recycles water at the point of use, bringing it back into the production process and minimizing treatment costs. The process recycles 90% of the high purity water used in high-tech manufacturing. Exergy aspires to shift the paradigm to a new, circular approach, where resources stay clean as they’re continually purified and reused.
Citysense
The team at Citysense is committed to empowering city residents to act on problems and share their solutions across the urban ecosystem. By installing a massive open network of sensors and communication hubs - “Citysense Urban Satellites”—Citysense is opening the Smart Cities market so communities can solve problems related to people’s wellbeing— including safety, health, and mobility. Their long-term vision: a world in which Citysense Urban Satellites are ubiquitous: go-to channels that communities use to solve problems and share solutions.
Omega Grid
Our current energy grid is underutilized 99% of the time— and it’s not friendly to clean energy. That’s why Omega Grid is pioneering a bold sustainable energy system, using local energy markets as an alternative to the traditional grid. The software, which uses blockchain architecture and avoids expensive, centralized infrastructure, determines the best design for local grids, paving the way towards a sustainably-powered future.