Toyota became the worldwide mobility partner of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to help build a sustainable society through mobility that leaves no one behind. 

In the framework of the partnership, working closely with athletes is essential to Toyota, as they reflect the Olympic and Paralympic spirit of pushing boundaries and turning dreams into reality.  

A Global Vision with Local Action 

The Olympic and Paralympic Games are not only a showcase of the best of human achievement, but also of the inspiring stories each athlete brings to the start line. No journey is taken alone and this year, Toyota’s Start Your Impossible campaign sheds light on the heroes behind the athlete’s success: the coaches, teammates, parents, and fans that shape them. A close-knit community provides emotional support, encouragement, and motivation, contributing to an athlete’s confidence and drive. They act as a catalyst, shaping an athlete’s journey from grassroots to greatness. Representing one’s community becomes a powerful motivator, as athletes carry the pride of their hometown. 

Through the campaign, Toyota aspires to ignite the spark of endless possibilities that reside within communities all over the globe. It’s this respect for local communities and long-standing commitment to sports that is reflected in Toyota’s support of nearly 300 Olympic and Paralympic athletes around the globe, on their journey to qualify and compete in the Paris 2024 Games. 

In Europe alone, Toyota supports over 100 athletes from 23 countries, all aiming to compete at the Paris 24 Games, in a total of 20 Olympic and 13 Paralympic disciplines. 

Over 150 cities from 46 countries entered the Challenge after the call to cities was first launched in June 2023 and over the last months, the list was narrowed to 10 and now 3 cities. The City Challenges will be launched for innovator entry over the next two months, inviting global innovators to access a share of $3 million in funding per city to demonstrate their solutions.

Three Selected Host Cities

Venice, Veneto, Italy

Launching 11th June 2024 - Venice is often pictured solely as a historic city famous for its intricate network of canals. Nevertheless, the majority of the population lives and works in the mainland suburbs such as Mestre, Marghera and other motorized islands, which serve as a crucial transportation hub connecting Venice to the mainland and beyond.

With a mobility landscape that is truly multi-modal, including land and water transport, the city has invested significantly in sustainable mobility infrastructure and services. In the Venice City Challenge, the city seeks innovative solutions that shift behavior, encouraging an increased use and adoption of existing sustainable transport modes.

The Venice City Challenge will launch on Tuesday, 11th June 2024.

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Launching on 29th May 2024 – Known worldwide as the ‘Motor City,’ Detroit is working to show the world that sustainable mobility is part of what makes this 'Motor' move by seeking innovators who can help the City deploy clean and cost-effective mobility solutions as part of this transition.

The Challenge is focused on Eastern Market, ​​​​the nation's largest food production and distribution center, where a growing residential and commercial presence means that the City wants to explore solutions that help preserve the health and well-being of the Eastern Market community as it carries through with expansion plans. More specifically, the Detroit City Challenge will seek solutions that reduce fossil fuel use and cut costs of freight operations in the Eastern Market, by increasing efficiencies and unlocking opportunities for clean freight technologies.

The Detroit City Challenge will launch on Wednesday, 29th May 2024.

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Launching in late June 2024 - Varanasi is located on the banks of the Ganges River in northern India and is the “spiritual capital” of India. A revered pilgrimage destination, the city sees visitors from across India as well as abroad. This influx of visitors, while vital to strengthening the city’s tapestry of faith and culture, is leading to increased concerns about safety and crowding. The Varanasi City Challenge aims to generate innovative, data-driven solutions incorporating elements of technology and design that make crowded areas of Varanasi's old city (Kashi) safer and more accessible for religious tourists and local residents alike including vulnerable members of the population.

The Varanasi City Challenge will launch in late June 2024.

The Challenge

The three City Challenges will focus on different areas of sustainable mobility relevant to their specific context, spanning the expansion of access to safe, affordable, and inclusive modes of transportation. Potential solutions could harness the power of data to create connected and resilient mobility or ecosystems or reduce environmental impact through low-carbon and renewable solutions.

The three cities have been working with Toyota Mobility Foundation alongside Challenge Works and World Resources Institute (WRI) to finalise their Challenges. They are focusing on areas of their respective mobility barriers that could be best addressed through open innovation. They have been consulting with local organizations and wider stakeholders to inform the design of their respective Challenges.

Innovators from across the globe with solutions ready to be tested are invited to respond to the specific issues of each city as each City Challenge launches over the next two months. The innovative solutions that best meet the needs of the city (or the criteria for the City Challenges), will be selected to be supported. Together, the cities and selected innovators will test, further develop and deploy solutions using real-world data, with access to transportation departments and infrastructure.

The Sustainable Cities Challenge is funded by the Toyota Mobility Foundation and has been designed in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute to bring cities and innovators together to develop sustainable, inclusive, data-driven mobility solutions fit for the future.

Notes to editors:

All spokespeople are available for interview and further comment. For more information or to book interviews with spokespeople, please contact press-tmf-scc@89up.org.

10 Initial Shortlisted Cities in November 2023:

• Bengaluru, India
• Detroit, USA
• Fortaleza, Brazil
• Medellín, Colombia
• Mexico City, Mexico
• New Orleans, USA
• Seberang Perai, Malaysia
• Varanasi, India
• Venice, Italy
• York, UK

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) was established in August 2014 by the Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) to support the development of a more mobile society in which everyone can move freely. The Foundation underscores Toyota’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and respect for people. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise and technologies to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. TMF works in partnership with universities, governments, non-profits, research institutions and other organizations, creating programs that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address mobility issues around the world. 

In the past, TMF has led a range of Challenges, including the global Mobility Unlimited Challenge, CATCH in Malaysia, InoveMob Challenge in Brazil and STAMP Challenge in India. You can find out more about TMF and how it is governed at toyotamobilityfoundation.org.   

About Challenge Works

Challenge Works is a global leader in the design and delivery of open innovation challenges that mobilize diverse, innovative thinkers to solve pressing problems and unlock change. Challenge prizes are a unique approach to funding innovation, offering a series of incentives, with a final prize given to whoever can first or most effectively meet a defined goal. They are public, open competitions which lower barriers to entry to attract the broadest possible community of innovators. Founded by Nesta, the UK’s innovation foundation for social good, they are a social enterprise that has delivered 93 challenges to date and distributed more than £156 million to winning innovators. Visit them at challengeworks.org.

About World Resources Institute

World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization with offices in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, and regional offices for Africa and Europe. WRI’s 1,900 staff work with partners to develop practical solutions that improve people’s lives and ensure nature can thrive. Learn more: WRI.org and on X (formerly Twitter) @WorldResources.