The Toyota Mobility Foundation announced the 10 semi-finalists for its Sustainable Cities Challenge in Detroit, Michigan. Developed in partnership with the City of Detroit, Challenge Works and World Resources Institute (WRI), the Challenge sought global innovators to present solutions to decrease fossil fuel use and reduce costs of freight operations in Detroit’s Eastern Market.   

One of the oldest and largest urban food production and distribution centers in the United States, the bustling hub serves as Detroit’s center for food production, processing, packaging and distribution, playing a vital role in feeding millions. Eastern Market is a cornerstone of Detroit’s food economy, selling over $360 million of wholesale food annually, with exports to international markets nearly doubling that figure. The market organizes a complex ecosystem of farmers, wholesalers, logistics operators and distributors into activities designed to move food efficiently. 

As part of the two-stage, three-year $9 million global Challenge, Sustainable Cities Detroit launched in May 2024 and attracted 72 innovator entries from around the world.

The semi-finalists are:

  • Automotus: Automotus helps cities reduce emissions, safety hazards and traffic with artificial intelligence (AI) cameras that automate curb management. Their solution would use AI solar cameras to automate the management of loading and unloading areas around Detroit's Eastern Market to reduce traffic and emissions.
  • BizFleets: A full-service fleet management company that uses data to identify tangible opportunities for cost savings, emissions reductions and operational improvements, BizFleets would aggregate vehicle data from multiple sources into a single system to evaluate vehicle use and determine how to increase efficiency and sustainability.
  • Civilized Cycles: Civilized Cycles is a Detroit-based design and engineering firm that builds light electric vehicles for commercial cargo transportation. Its electric cargo bikes could be utilized at Eastern Market to deliver produce to local businesses, reducing pollution and costs.
  • Ecosphere Organics: The sustainability-focused Ecosphere Organics leverages technology to transform organic food waste into valuable raw materials (like pigments, dyes, fertilizer, bioplastics and gels) for reuse in various industries. The company’s solution aims to utilize organic waste conversion units at key food production locations throughout Eastern Market, converting food waste into innovative materials like animal feed and natural soil amendments, while collecting real-time data to optimize waste logistics and reduce fossil fuel consumption.
  • ElectricFish Energy, Inc.: A minority-founded company building energy infrastructure, ElectricFish proposes a battery-integrated fast electric vehicle charger which would charge electric vehicles, minimize peak energy costs and provide backup energy for on-site Eastern Market facilities.
  • Emissionless: By utilizing software and electric trucks to provide faster, more efficient, zero-emission freight operations, Emissionless aims to decarbonize ground freight transportation. Emisionless would streamline deliveries to and from Eastern Market to support the Market’s needs while simultaneously eliminating emissions.
  • Interplai: This forward-thinking logistics platform is dedicated to revolutionizing last-mile delivery. Their route optimization software would provide an opportunity for Eastern Market’s operators to collaborate on logistics.
  • Joule Labs, Inc.: Joule Labs provides electric vehicle charging solutions, leveraging cutting-edge automation, robotics and AI to deliver flexible and scalable automated charging systems and services to meet the needs of autonomous and conventional electric fleet operators. Their mobile charging solutions could support the growing electrification of vehicles serving Eastern Market’s operations while reducing operational downtime.
  • Neology: This Swiss clean-tech startup aims to advance sustainable energy with its Ammonia-to-Hydrogen Generation System. This system enables clean, on-demand hydrogen production, ideal for powering fuel-cell solutions at construction sites, remote heavy industries and other off-grid applications. Their compact, on-site hydrogen production system could provide clean fuel for zero-emission vehicles at Eastern Market.
  • Orange Sparkle Ball: This innovation and impact accelerator is focused on moving public and private organizations’ initiatives forward. Its solution would use a data-driven micrologistics platform to organize first- and last-mile freight logistics in and out of Eastern Market.

The Challenge evaluated entries based on their potential to reduce fossil fuel use, introduce innovative solutions for Eastern Market freight, demonstrate business adoption potential and showcase mature technology. The proposed innovations also needed to exhibit scalability and strong delivery capacity.

“We are thrilled to announce Detroit’s top 10 semi-finalists for the Sustainable Cities Challenge,” said Tim Slusser, Chief of the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation.

“Eastern Market is essential to our food distribution network, and with these semi-finalists we have a unique opportunity to collaborate with the Eastern Market Partnership and Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification to pioneer sustainable freight solutions that reduce fossil fuel use and lower operating costs.”

Semi-finalists will each receive a $50,000 implementation grant to help the teams refine and localize their solutions for Detroit's Eastern Market. They will also participate in the Challenge’s Innovator Academy, which will provide them with resources and guidance for their solutions. “The selection of 10 semi-finalists for the Sustainable Cities Challenge Detroit marks an exciting step forward,” said Ryan Klem, Director of Programs at the Toyota Mobility Foundation. “These teams are tackling challenges in Eastern Market, an iconic and essential part of Detroit’s infrastructure, with innovative solutions that will benefit local businesses and the environment. We look forward to supporting their efforts as they develop approaches that could serve as a model for cities worldwide.”

Kathy Nothstine, Director of Cities and Societies at Challenge Works, added, “With 10 outstanding semi-finalists now selected, Detroit is ready to embrace fresh ideas from innovators around the world. Detroit has already made strides in creating a more efficient transportation network, and these teams offer promising solutions to further reduce fossil fuel consumption and streamline freight operations in Eastern Market, ensuring year-round reliability for the market and its vendors.”

Eastern Market has been a cornerstone of Detroit for over 150 years. “It’s inspiring to see 10 semi-finalists now working toward solutions that will support its future,” said Ben Welle, Director of Integrated Transport and Innovation at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. “Innovation is essential for cities to adapt and thrive, and the solutions from this Challenge can help not only Detroit but serve as a model for sustainable city logistics everywhere.”

For more, visit SustainableCitiesChallenge.org