NTx Apps Challenge
Over 300 innovators, entrepreneurs and software developers came together to build
sustainability apps for the NTx Apps Challenge. Launched in late July, the NTx Apps
Challenge was a 12-week innovation competition with $80,000 in prizes to create
smartphone apps that solve regional growth challenges in five categories: water
conservation, waste & recycling, energy conservation, alternative fuel vehicles and
Internet of Things (IoT).
More than just a competition, NTx Apps was a unique public-private partnership
that leveraged the talent and skills of the thriving North Texas tech and entrepreneur
ecosystem to launch new companies geared to preparing North Texas for doubling its
population in the next 50 years. Through a series of “hack-a-thons” and “data jams,”
participants have worked directly with representatives from local governments and
technology firms to develop web and mobile applications that solve municipal growth
challenges. Organized by the North Texas Commission and the Cleanweb Initiative,
NTx Apps brought together 30+ local sponsors and partners.
By the end of the challenge, over a dozen apps were submitted for consideration
by the Challenge Judges. The winning apps were Waste: Compost Denton; AFVs:
Juxt; Energy: Energy Pal; Water: Sprink.ly; and IoT: Gridlock. Each team won $10,000
in cash, follow-on funding of an additional $10,000, plus office space, mentorship
from local app development experts and
a special showcase at Dallas New Tech.
Over 12 weeks, mentors and innovators came
together to build apps to better North Texas