North Texas Innovation Alliance Members and Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners Announce VisionCraft AI as the 2024 SCEWC Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge Winner

VisionCraft AI is Awarded with United States Pilot and Funding Opportunities

DALLAS, Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA), a 501(c)3 regional consortium of over 40 municipalities, agencies, corporations and academic institutions across North Texas working to create the most connected, smart and resilient region in the country, and partner Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, have announced VisionCraft AI as the winner of the 2024 Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge. Including partners and Texas cities Frisco and McKinney, the select group of judges evaluated the four finalists live at Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) in Barcelona in front of a global audience.

"All four of our finalists across Ecosystem Informatics, L&T Technology Services, Sial-tronica 22 SL and VisionCraft AI did a fantastic job showcasing their solutions and pitching to our panel of judges," said NTXIA Executive Director Jennifer Sanders. "It was truly a difficult deliberation to decide a winner. Each finalist hit the nail on the head regarding this year's problem statements of the future of transportation, sustainability and VRUs. We want to thank each of these incredible companies for making the trip to SCEWC in Barcelona for the final competition, and also for their time and efforts in applying and pitching. We send our warmest congratulations to the VisionCraft AI team and cannot wait to move forward in having you all visit the U.S. and begin your deployments!"

Based in the Czech Republic, VisionCraft AI is a technology company providing a 'Digital Data Eye,' with solutions that provide real-time information from AI-based computer vision object detection algorithms. Their solutions can determine an object's speed, direction, size, trajectory and more to increase safety and improve function across ITS, manufacturing & logistics, healthcare, enterprises & retail and more. This is the only IoT sensor on the market that processes video streams directly at the edge and is not dependent on 24/7 electricity or wired data in real time.

"We are honored to award VisionCraft AI the title of the 2024 SCEWC Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge Winner. VisionCraft's solution will be a strong addition to our smart city ecosystem," said Curiosity Lab Executive Director Brandon Branham. "There can be specific challenges entering the U.S. market if you do not have a pilot program in place with the resources to understand a new country launch. At the lab, we are equipped to remove those challenges for VisionCraft as they are ready to enter the U.S. market. With our partners NTXIA and their members in North Texas, we will be able to provide them with the resources they need to succeed. We are looking forward to seeing the VisionCraft AI team in the U.S. in the upcoming months!"

As part of the award, VisionCraft AI received office space, funding for their first pilot, travel and accommodations across the U.S., introductions to high-level individuals across public and private organizations to support their entrance into the U.S. market and more.

"We were thrilled to have the opportunity to participate in this global pitch competition and to have the chance to share our story and solutions with some of the leading smart cities in the United States," said VisionCraft Founder and CEO Robert Pinkas. "Thank you to Curiosity Lab, NTXIA, McKinney, and Frisco for taking the time to hear our pitch and for selecting us as the winner, and thank you to everyone who has supported us on our journey thus far. We cannot wait to begin piloting in the United States, beginning in Spring of 2025! Thank you to all of the partners who put together this competition and for your generous support."

"The Inaugural 2024 Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge was a massive success, and it was an honor to serve on the judging panel. Our partners at the NTXIA are great visionaries to work alongside to bring international awareness to our innovation efforts in McKinney, alongside our other regional partners working tirelessly to elevate the startup ecosystem across North Texas. We can't wait to welcome VisionCraft into McKinney's dynamic startup ecosystem and utilize their innovations to help improve our community," said Michael Talley, Senior Vice President of McKinney Economic Development Corporation.

"Frisco is a best-in-class city that champions innovation, technology and entrepreneurship," said Gloria Salinas, Vice President of Frisco Economic Development Corporation.  "As a pilot city for driverless cars, drone deliveries and other innovative technologies, we are at the forefront of smart city initiatives that seek creative solutions to today's problems. Mobility is critical to the future of Frisco, and VisionCraft's program has the potential to optimize traffic, manage infrastructure and congestion, improve pedestrian safety and further enhance the quality of life for our residents. Our established ecosystem fosters an environment where innovators like VisionCraft can learn from other technology leaders while scaling their business. We are excited for VisionCraft to bring their solutions and creativity to North Texas."

NTXIA and Curiosity Lab plan to hold this startup pitch competition again in 2025 at SCEWC in Barcelona. Learn more about VisionCraft AI at https://www.visioncraft.ai/.

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 and Twitter.

About the City of Peachtree Corners, Georgia
As the heart of what is being called #SiliconOrchard in the metro-Atlanta region, Peachtree Corners is a vibrant municipality that's home to more than 45,000 residents, 45,000 jobs and an innovation hub that houses some of the world's most disruptive technology companies. As the United States' premier smart city powered by real-world connected infrastructure and 5G, Peachtree Corners serves as the model for how government and private industry can better collaborate to create a better future for society and business. From the world's first deployment of teleoperated e-scooters to fully autonomous shuttles being utilized by actual residents, and from a solar roadway to the largest electric vehicle fast-charging hub in the region, Peachtree Corners is where the most future-forward Internet of Things (IoT) and sustainable technologies come to life for the benefit of its citizens, and the world. For more information, visit http://www.peachtreecornersga.gov.

About Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners
Curiosity Lab is a 5G-enabled intelligent mobility and smart city living laboratory located in the southeastern United States near Atlanta, Georgia. Designed as a proving ground for IoT, mobility and smart city emerging technologies, the centerpiece of the lab is a three-mile autonomous vehicle lane leveraging cellular vehicle-to-everything (C-V2X) technologies. Additional infrastructure includes intelligent traffic cameras and traffic signals, smart streetlights, the country's first "IoT Central Control Room" implemented in a city and a 25,000 square foot technology incubator. Owned and operated by the City of Peachtree Corners, Curiosity Lab is one of North America's only real-world testing environments and is available for use free of charge. Additional information can be found at www.curiositylabptc.com.

SOURCE North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA)