Carmakers backing smart cities projects
Firms study how AI can benefit urban areas
When BMW North America put out a call to would- be innovators around the world for its MINI-funded Urban-X smart city accelerator program in Brooklyn, N.Y., Gabe Batstone, CEO and founder of Ottawa- based Contextere was eager to get on board. It was in fact the only Canadian company to be accepted into the program’s most recent cohort.
Contextere is an IIoT ( Industrial Internet of Things) software company focused on enabling a connected workforce. It uses artificial intelligence to develop an intelligent personal agent that can provide insight on the job.
“About a year and a half ago we began pondering the question ‘ Why has the technology revolution left behind people in blue col- lar professions?’, ” Batstone says. “I thought we could weave crazy cool technology to answer that and make it all relevant for the people who maintain and install equipment. We believed we could transform the future of work.”
Urban-X is part of a new design academy founded by MINI’s venture accelerator, and brings together forward thinking startups to explore innovations in the context of smart cities, urban hypergrowth and society- scale changes. Which begs the question “How would an AI- based IIoT technology designed for the defence, aerospace and oil and gas industries fit into the urban landscape?”
Batstone acknowledges that the smart cities market was certainly not his original plan for the company. But it makes perfect sense, since Contextere’s software combines AI with augmented reality and big data to deliver real- time cues to blue collar workers via phone or wearable devices to increase productivity and safety. “One in four times, equipment repair jobs don’t get done,” he says. “For a company with 25,000 workers, that’s a huge business problem.”
Apply those numbers to a metropolis like New York City, home to tens of thousands of workers who inspect bridges, maintain pipelines, operate sewage plants and myriad other on- site functions. “Now we are seeing how we can improve life in cities in terms of technology and design and expand into new markets,” Batstone says. “New York is a great test bed simply because of the scale of the city. And Urban-X is a great creative space, where we get to work with each other and with MINI engineers. What’s relevant to us here is the user experience and how people, hardware and s of t ware interact.”
The most valuable lesson he is learning involves different approaches to marketing, from people who have nothing to do with the business he is in. “The most meaningful thing is that we can look at blue collar as a business as opposed to a vertical and see how others are approaching it. We’re seeing different ways of working with wearables and how we can get workers off their phones and allow them to work so their hands and eyes are free to do the job. And we are even coming up with ideas we didn’t think of before.”
Micah Kotch, managing director of Urban-X, says the project is very much focused on the future of cities. “As an advocate for startups for the future of our city, we are agnostic in terms of whether the solution is IoT, software or algorithm development. What we look for are differentiated solutions that can help lead us to a brighter urban future.”
A lot of work is being done on autonomous superstructures that tie into the day-today running of cities, whether it’s connected real estate, energy systems, cars, utilities, public safety or security, Kotch adds. “That’s why we advocate for companies like Contextere that share a vision for human- centric technology that empowers people and makes better cities.”
New York is not the only target for smart city accelerator programs on the part of the automotive industry. Toronto will soon be home to a new venture with the upcoming launch of Infiniti Lab. Selected startups will work with corporate and industry partners including Telus Ventures, OMERS Ventures, TechStars and the City of Toronto on smart city innovation.
This is the first North America venture f or the au t o motive c o mpany ’ s smart city initiatives, says Stephen Lester, managing director of Infiniti Canada. “The company recognizes Canada is brimming with talent and opportunities for startups.” The program will launch on May 29 ( it’s accepting applications until May 5).
Participants will spend a month liaising with industry partners and mentors, culminating in a pitch day. The winner will be fast tracked to the next Hong Kong program (where Infiniti is headquartered) in July. “The key there is opening up opportunities to an international set of VCs, as well as additional coaching and resources,” Lester says.
As far as potential ideas go? “It can be absolutely anything. You’re only limited by your own creativity.”