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Innovative charging system startup wins resilience challenge
Itselectric was selected as City Solution of the Year from a pool of more than 650 entrepreneurs from 80 countries who competed in the QBE AcceliCITY challenge.
Brooklyn-based electric vehicle (EV) kerbside charging company Itselectric has been named City Solution of the Year in the 2023 QBE AcceliCITY resilience challenge, organised by Leading Cities, in partnership with QBE Insurance Group.
The $100,000 award was presented following a one-week intensive boot camp and panel evaluation from representatives of the World Economic Forum, African American Mayors Association, Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, a co-founder of Code for America, and the Leading Cities board of directors.
EV charging solution
In addition to the cash prize, Itselectric will also be featured in an upcoming AcceliGOV programme, where cities from around the world compete to win a pre-paid pilot programme of this EV charging solution.
“Congratulations to Itselectric for [its] pioneering work in creating innovative solutions to accelerate the development of EV infrastructure, making electric mobility more accessible and practical for urban communities,” said Julie Wood, CEO of QBE North America.
“At QBE, we are committed to helping promote resilience and sustainability in communities, and this year’s resilience challenge winner Itselectric has developed a solution with the potential to transform our cities.”
“The future of our planet relies on us taking significant steps to combat climate change. Insufficient EV infrastructure presents a major hurdle in achieving our environmental goals”
Itselectric was selected as the City Solution of the Year from a pool of more than 650 entrepreneurs from 80 countries who competed in the QBE AcceliCITY challenge. It is at the forefront of creating a more sustainable future by providing a comprehensive EV infrastructure solution. The innovative approach ensures that electric vehicles can be charged easily and conveniently, thereby encouraging more people to adopt electric mobility and reduce their carbon footprint.
“The future of our planet relies on us taking significant steps to combat climate change. Insufficient EV infrastructure presents a major hurdle in achieving our environmental goals,” said Mike Lake, president and CEO of Leading Cities.
“Recognising this challenge is pivotal in preserving our planet for future generations.”
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In addition to the top prize, Syrinx and itselectric were selected for two People’s Choice Awards totalling $50,000 of funding. Syrinx is an Australian-based wastewater solution that naturally purifies wastewater using plants and other elements of nature contained in a single, self-sustaining box.
“Start-ups like Itselectric seek opportunities to partner with cities and work hard to build trust with stakeholder agencies. The AcceliCITY pilot grant will be an opportunity to advance a real-world kerbside EV charging pilot, utilising Itselectric’s unique revenue-sharing business model,” said Nathan King, CEO and of-founder of Itselectric.
“Because of AcceliCITY funding, our partner city can be assured the pilot has the necessary resources, allowing both Itselectric and the city to validate usage data and deployment cost in what is essentially a brand-new industry.”
“At QBE, we are committed to helping promote resilience and sustainability in communities, and this year’s resilience challenge winner Itselectric has developed a solution with the potential to transform our cities”
At its core, QBE AcceliCITY aims to lower the cost of innovation for local governments as well as startups and corporations by streamlining the innovation and implementation cycles for smart and resilient city solutions. The QBE AcceliCITY programme connects startup’s smart solutions directly with users and provides the proper channels and know-how to deploy in cities.
Leading Cities connects cities across the globe with innovations and insight to drive resiliency, equity, and sustainability. This is achieved by cultivating a global network of forward thinkers from the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors as well as delivering advanced research, emerging trends and vetting solutions that will address urban challenges.
The AcceliCITY programme aims to de-risk innovation for cities by sourcing and vetting solutions that will answer their most pressing challenges. Find out more about the winner and finalists here.
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How does Itselectric's kerbside EV charging system improve urban accessibility?What are the key benefits of Itselectric's revenue-sharing business model?How can AcceliCITY's pilot program accelerate EV infrastructure deployment?In what ways does Itselectric's solution contribute to reducing carbon footprints?How does QBE AcceliCITY support startups in scaling smart city innovations?
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