The programInnovation Challengesfunds 6 experimental projects in electric and intelligent transportation (EIT) carried out by companies within ministries and public organizations (MPO) up to$500,000per company. This program allows:
- support the growth of Quebec companies in EIT by encouraging the development of near-commercial innovations that address procurement challenges faced by ministries and public organizations (MPO);
- help ministries and public organizations search for innovative solutions to better meet their procurement needs (mission or operations).
What is a challenge?
Challenges enable the integration of innovation in transport and sustainable mobility into services addressing needs identified by MPOs. More specifically, a challenge allows:
- to develop and/or implement innovative technological and service solutions;
- to address a problem in response to a specific unmet need of an MPO that existing commercial products or services do not satisfy;
- to keep the focus on the development of Quebec companies;
- to promote the emergence of conditions favorable to acquiring an innovation that meets an MPO's need.
Description and objectives
Ministries and public organizations (MPOs) have needs for innovative goods and services to fulfill their general mission, improve the services they offer to the public, and make their day-to-day operations more effective and efficient. However, they often lack the financial levers, programs, or resources to tackle these issues.
The Innovation Challenges aim to support companies, with priority given to SMEs, that wish to address MPOs' land transport issues by enabling them to develop and test their new innovative technological solutions (products and services in electric and intelligent transport) in real-world settings.Funding awarded to companies selected under the Innovation Challenges thus makes it possible to:
- support companies at the various stages of a product or process innovation project in planning, development, and improvement;
- accelerate the implementation of innovation projects;
- contribute to improving companies' productivity and competitiveness, particularly SMEs;
- document the benefits of new technologies in meeting MPO challenges (impact measurement).
The themes of projects selected under the Innovation Challenges program concern electric and intelligent transport, namely: electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, and digital solutions aimed at more rapidly modernizing public services.
Challenges selected in the first phase
Challenge 1 – Free up public space for greening and sustainable development.
- Challenge sponsor:Sustainable Mobility Agency
- Challenger:Click’n’Park
- Solution tested:Allow the public, through the Clicknpark mobile app, to reserve and prepay for existing off-street parking spaces that are underutilized or currently inaccessible.
- See the report >here
Challenge 2 – Optimize the energy and operational efficiency of snow removal in urban areas.
- Challenge sponsor:City of Alma
- Challenger:Niosense
- Solution tested:Adapt the Niosense system and establish metrics and real-time communications with traffic lights to reduce time losses during operations and the environmental footprint of snow removal.
- See the IVEO report >here
Challenge 3 – Charge and power vehicles or devices in locations remote from electrical grids
- Challenge sponsor:SÉPAQ
- Challenger:Ingenext
- Solution tested:Develop a mobile charging and power unit using repurposed batteries.
- See the IVEO report >here
Challenge 4 – Electrify, optimize, and improve the energy efficiency of maintenance work for participating cities.
- Challenge sponsor:City of Sainte-Julie, City of L’Assomption, City of Lévis
- Challenger:Gamotech
- Solution tested:Test and adapt Gamotech technology to provide these cities with the most efficient, most durable, and least expensive power unit possible according to their needs.
- See the report >here
Challenge 5 – Fast charging on marginal electrical networks
- Challenge sponsor:Hydro-Québec
- Challenger:YULtek
- Solution tested:Develop and test a high-speed electric car charging system intended for locations where only low-power single-phase electricity is available.
- See the report >here
Challenge 6 – Deployment of an electric scooter network featuring charging stations and shelters
- Challenge sponsor:Regional County Municipality of La Rivière‑du‑Nord
- Challenger:Xpak Industries
- Solution tested:Create a technology showcase demonstrating the features and feasibility of a connected and georeferenced electric scooter fleet linked to an online reservation and payment system, starting in the summer 2023 season and more broadly for the 2024 season.
- See the report >hereand the IVEO report >here
