University of Chicago Urban Labs, Delhi govt. announce finalists for local solutions

The University of Chicago Urban Labs and the Delhi government has announced the finalists in the Urban Labs Innovation Challenge

The finalists from the crowd sourcing competition are each competing to win up to Rs. two crore to work with the Urban Labs' Energy and Environment Lab, the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago's India Office (EPIC-India), and the Delhi government to pilot and test their idea. If the results are promising, the selected program could become a model for other cities in India and beyond.

The winners will be announced at an event on October 21st. The seven finalists were selected among nearly 250 ideas from students, researchers, entrepreneurs, non-profit and for-profit organizations and citizens from across India and around the world who submitted ideas for the challenge, which launched last December.

The Challenge is a project of the Tata Centre for Development and is supported

by Tata Trusts.

"All of the seven finalists have shown a deep passion and commitment to help solve Delhi's environmental problems. Any one of these innovative ideas could transform our city. We look forward to working with the eventual winner or winners and the University of Chicago to make Delhi a clean and prosperous city," said Vice Chairman of the Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission, Ashish Khetan.

"Because of the scope and diversity of all of the ideas we have received for the Delhi Challenge, selecting these seven was extraordinarily challenging," said Director of the University of Chicago Urban Lab's Energy and Environment Lab and EPIC-India, Michael Greenstone.

"But we are confident that these ideas have high potential for improving Delhi's environment and the lives of its citizens," added Greenstone.