“Winter City” Challenge – Call for Proposals

Participating Agencies

Summary

About Up Great Technology Contests

Up Great are the largest technology contests in terms of the prize fund in Russia. Competitions are designed similar to the model of prestigious international competitions like XPrize, DARPA Grand Challenge, etc. Participants have tasks to develop solutions to the most challenging technical problems in the World, which nobody has solved yet. A team, which wins a global technological barrier, receives a significant prize – up to USD 3M, if demonstrates a clear and repeatable solution to the experts, jury, and public. In 2018, the first Up Great contests started: “Winter City” (driverless vehicles under winter city conditions) and “First Element” (hydrogen energy). RVC, Skolkovo Foundation, and ASI initiated Up Great technology contests to support the National Technology Initiative (NTI), a long-term complex program to develop innovation-based new economy and create conditions for local companies to become leaders on new high-tech markets that will define global economic structure for the upcoming 15-20 years.
 

Relevant Technologies

Smart City, Smart Transportation,

Program Description

The Israel Innovation Authority and the Technology Contests Up Great are collaborating in the “Winter City Challenge”.  Up Great has initiated the challenge within the implementation of technology contests as a supplementary instrument to develop an ecosystem of innovation in Russia and to create innovation technologies and products in perspective industries worldwide, in particular. 
The purpose of the Winter City Challenge is to develop end-to-end solutions in the field of control of driverless cars (DC) in poor visibility and difficult weather conditions. 
We invite Israeli high-tech companies with their capabilities for the development of autonomous driving solutions to cooperate with local finalists, who have successfully passed through the previous rounds with their vehicles to support them in the final round. Those solutions will be tested in Moscow regions special facilities as part the final round of the challenge in December. Synergy of both the finalists and the Israeli solutions may help finalists win the challenge while achieving recognition in the enormous market in Russia. We invite you to explore this chance, and we will support you in this endeavor. 

Criteria

The challenge focuses on the following areas:

1. Improve the quality, accuracy and positioning of the self- driving vehicle.
2. Development of additional control system components for unmanned vehicles.
3. Test and validate new technologies for solid state LiDARs suitable for automotive applications.
4. Development of ADAS systems to use as reference to counter check and benchmark existing solutions. 
5. OEM or automakers to implement technology into the vehicle control systems.
6. Development of a software-recognition system that can identify road objects.

• For further details and to better know the teams, please, download the Finalists Technologies form.
• During the final ride, the participants should demonstrate driving on the test route of 50 Km in less than 3 hours in autonomous mode and in urban infrastructure in extreme weather conditions. 
• Detailed requirements for the final ride and evaluation procedure are described in the Technical Guidelines attached.

Funding

Rewards, prizes and compensations to winners

• Awards range from $300,000 to $2.5 M, depending on the number of awardees.
• Prizes and awardees are paid only if the team overcomes the technological barrier.
• Israeli companies that successfully complete the final round will be eligible for up to 50% funding (of approved budget) for their future pilot cost (subject to applicable Israeli laws and regulations). 
• Executed projects will receive media and social media promoted through local and industry channels.

Potential Outputs

• Opportunity for Israeli companies to test their technologies in a real-world harsh environment simulated at a unique testing ground under hard conditions of Russian winter.
• Create awareness of Israeli technologies and capabilities among the autonomous sector community in Russia and find local partners.
• Introductions and engagement with local key players ( e.g. companies, investors, partners)
• Drive Israeli innovation into the Russian autonomous vehicle market.
• Enhance intellectual capital of Israeli technologies, products, services and devices.
• Test and validate the product given pre-identified parameters

For further information, please read the Challenge Rules attached. 
 

Application Process

Israeli companies qualifying with the above-mentioned criteria are invited to complete the attached Application form and email to Jonathan Cohen: jonthan.cohen@innovationisrael.org.il. No later than October 27, 2019. 

Challenge Timeline:  

• Application opens for submissions: September 5, 2019
• Applications deadline: October 27, 2019
• Notification of possible partnerships: 4th week of October 2019
• Final round (attendance-based): December 8, 2019- December 10, 2019 with Finale event on December 10, 2019
• Notification of awardees and winners: December 10, 2019

Attachments