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Community Solutions Accelerator (CSA)

Challenge 4 – Catalytic Converter Theft Challenge

Winners Announced!

After careful deliberation by the judges, the winners of the Catalytic Converter Theft Challenge were officially announced on Jan. 27, 2023:

• 1st Prize – Foilem Fence ($25,000)
• 2nd Prize – The King Strap ($15,000)
• 3rd Prize – Catalytic Converter DNA ($10,000)

News Release – Friday January 2023 (PDF)

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Challenge #4
Catalytic Converter Theft Challenge

This challenge is seeking new sustainable solutions to deter or prevent catalytic converter thefts.

Please see our new Challenge below – Link at:
https://www.herox.com/challenge/5QM8w

Media

Challenge structure and overview

This two-phase challenge seeks to identify and test approaches that can significantly decrease or even end the ever-growing catalytic converter theft problem.  There is a total prize purse of $50,000 CAD to award the most compelling approach.

Phase 1

Phase 1 is open to everyone. In this ideation phase, participants are invited to submit their proposed approaches to significantly decrease or end catalytic converter theft.  Phase 1 winners will be selected based on how their submissions score against the evaluation criteria listed below.  Note that proposed approaches must be demonstrable to advance. Conceptual approaches and those that are not technically mature enough to demonstrate are not of interest.  Up to 5 of the Phase 1 participants will be selected to advance to Phase 2.

Phase 2

During Phase 2, each participant will virtually demonstrate their proposed approach to a panel of judges that includes community stakeholders impacted by the catalytic converter theft problem. Following the demonstrations from those who participated in Phase 2, the panel of judges will again score participants to determine a winner.

Time Frames (approximate)

  • Open to submissions August 31st, 2022
  • Informational webinar TBA (all submitters will be notified through the portal)
  • Phase 1 submission deadline November 30th, 2022 @ 5pm ET
  • Phase 1 Reviewing & Judging until December 19th, 2022
  • Phase 1 winners announced December 30th, 2022
  • Phase 2 field trials start January 2023
  • Phase 2 Reviewing & Judging January 2023
  • Grand Prize winner announced January 30th, 2022

 What’s in it for you?

This challenge is offering up to $50,000 CAD in a financial prize, subject to the terms and conditions appended below.  The specifics regarding the number and amount of prizes have been described above in the Challenge Structure and Overview section. Additionally, opportunities exist for successfully field-tested approaches to receive assistance in commercialization.  Such assistance could include a being a reputable paying first customer, providing pre-seed funding, and/or marketing assistance.

What’s in it for the Edmonton Police Foundation (EPF) and the CSA?

The Primary purpose of the Edmonton Police Foundation (and the CSA formed and operated by the EPF) is to support community safety. All intellectual property will remain the property of the Edmonton Police Foundation but will be free to assign any such IP to appropriate party(ies) as they deem fit. All parties will act in good faith to ensure the venture Is commercially viable and not hinder it in any way deemed harmful. If a submitter has a commercial solution and charges a license fee, they are welcome to submit their proposal and instead of the prize money, we would negotiate a fair license agreement.