The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) announced that Varanasi along with two global cities, Detroit and Venice, have been selected to host innovation challenges as part of the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge. The $9 million global initiative is to help cities to promote sustainable mobility, healthier urban environments, and improved access to services in cities.
The Sustainable Cities Challenge, launched in June 2023, attracted over 150 cities from 46 countries. The top three were selected as finalists from a shortlist of 10 cities announced in November 2023. Three cities, including Varanasi, are set to launch their own City Challenges, inviting global innovators to collaborate. The solutions must be tailored to meet the mobility needs of the winning cities. In late 2024, the best solutions will be selected, each receiving a share of USD 3 million in innovation grants for demonstration and pilot testing.
The winners will then be selected for further scaling and implementation in 2026. Elated with Varanasi making to the final list, Mr. Vikram Gulati, Country Head and Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Governance, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “We at TKM are thrilled that Varanasi has been chosen as one of the global cities in the Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Sustainable Cities Challenge.”
