North Texas Innovation Alliance and Partners Announce Omniflow As the Winner of the Second Annual SCEWC Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge

Omniflow awarded United States Piloting Opportunities, Travel, & Funding

DALLAS, Dec. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA), a 501(c)3 regional consortium of over 50 municipalities, agencies, corporations, and academic institutions across North Texas working to create the most connected, smart, and resilient region in the country, has announced Omniflow as the winner of the 2025 Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge alongside Texas cities Frisco and McKinney, Plug and Play, and Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners. At Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Omniflow competed against four incredible global startups and was awarded funding, travel, piloting, and business development opportunities in the United States, and the NTXIA Champion Texas Belt Buckle.

"The energy and enthusiasm our five finalists brought to the Smart City Expo World Congress this year was unmatched. Omniflow, Advanced Services in Mobility, Helpful Places, Latitudo 40, and Tiami Networks, Inc. were fully prepared and each showcased strong solutions that addressed this year's problem statements. These startups did not make choosing a winner easy for our judges," said NTXIA Executive Director Jennifer Sanders. "Thank you to each of the startups and our panel of judges for making the trip out to Barcelona for the competition. We were honored to have an incredible group of startups and distinguished judges join us at the event. Congratulations to Omniflow on this achievement, and we are excited to kick off planning travel, piloting, and funding opportunities for 2026."

Headquartered in Portugal, Omniflow provides carbon neutral smart IoT applications powered by wind and solar with integrated energy storage and grid connection that enables multiple integrated applications. Omniflow's solutions enable cities to transform utilities like a streetlight or even a city bench into a carbon neutral object that can be used for multiple IoT purposes. This solution continues to support cities in integrating new technologies to improve their residents' daily lives while also helping cities meet their sustainability goals and cost savings across energy spending.

"This award is a tremendous milestone for Omniflow and our vision of transforming urban infrastructure into a platform for sustainability and intelligence," said Omniflow CEO Pedro Ruão. "We are excited to work with NTXIA and the innovative cities of North Texas to demonstrate how our renewable-powered AI smart hub can improve public safety, connectivity, mobility, and energy resilience. Together, we will show what the future of smart cities can look like when technology and sustainability move forward hand in hand."

This year, Omniflow was awarded funding toward potential pilots, travel and accommodation funding, and business development meetings across City Departments, corporate innovation, R&D centers, education systems, healthcare institutions, and more from across the country. The panel of judges included representatives across NTXIA, Frisco Economic Development Corporation, McKinney Economic Development Corporation, Plug and Play, Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, AMSYS Innovation Solutions, and Toyota Mobility Foundation.

"There are numerous challenges international companies face when entering the U.S. market, and Curiosity Lab's mission is to remove these obstacles and provide a soft-landing pad for companies like Omniflow," said Emily Heintz, Executive Director of Curiosity Lab. "We are confident Omniflow's solution will be a strong new addition to our smart city ecosystem, and we're looking forward to their pilot program in Peachtree Corners and to help them progress in the U.S. market."

"In Frisco, we're actively integrating technology into urban planning—from intelligent traffic systems to sustainable solutions—to improve mobility, safety, and quality of life for our residents," said Gloria Salinas, Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer, Frisco Economic Development Corporation. "By embracing innovation, we're building a city that's more connected and future ready. Startups like Omniflow are essential to our innovation ecosystem, bringing fresh ideas and scalable solutions that align with our vision of a tech-enabled city."

"Omniflow brings a level of creativity and technical strength that fits perfectly with the vision our region is building toward," commented Michael Talley, Senior Vice President of the McKinney Economic Development Corporation. "Their approach shows what happens when smart tech meets practical city needs, and we're excited to welcome them into the growing network of innovators shaping North Texas. We look forward to working with them as they explore new opportunities here in the United States."

"At Plug and Play, our focus is on transforming bold technological ideas into scalable, real-world solutions. Whether it's mobility, sustainability, digital infrastructure, or public safety, we help startups pilot and refine technologies that elevate quality of life and create smarter, more connected communities," said David Steele, Director at Plug and Play. "Startups like Omniflow reflect the kind of creativity, technical strength, and problem-solving mindset that defines our innovation network. Their approach shows the impact that occurs when smart technologies are applied with practical purpose. We're excited to support their growth as they explore new opportunities in the United States and collaborate with corporations, cities, and strategic partners across our ecosystem."

NTXIA and partners will be coordinating with Omniflow to organize the startup's trip to the U.S. to begin exploring business development and piloting opportunities with the goal of planning piloting and business development meetings throughout 2026.

Learn more about Omniflow at www.omniflow.io and visit NTXIA.org for news and to learn more about the 2026 SCEWC Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge.

About The North Texas Innovation Alliance
The North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA) is a 501(c)3 consortium of key cross-sector stakeholders working to develop and implement a smart region strategy for North Texas. The NTXIA is building the most connected, smart and resilient region in the country – bringing together government entities on all levels, transit agencies, utilities/infrastructure, public safety, educational institutions and some of the world's top technology developers in the private sector to pave the way for a brighter tomorrow. The organization's mission is to break down silos and drive the collaborative use of data, technology and community to address the most pressing topics and create solutions that will improve quality of life, drive inclusive economic development and promote resource efficiency. For more information, please visit www.NTXIA.org, or follow LinkedIn.

SOURCE North Texas Innovation Alliance