Canary Wharf smart city project names 12 finalists

London's Canary Wharf will become one of the world's leading sites for smart technology development after 12 clean tech firms were named as finalists in the Cognicity Challenge on Monday.

In 2015, the initiative will select 36 clean tech start ups across six streams, which will compete for funding and the opportunity to trial their smart city technology at Canary Wharf.

The streams include sustainable buildings, integrated transport, connected homes, virtual design and construction, automated building management, and integrated resource management.

The target is for six winning companies to each receive £50,000 and the chance to pilot their technology.

A spokeswoman for the Cognicity Challenge said each of the shortlisted companies will be required to develop technologies that are capable of integrating with each other, leading to a wide-ranging smart city project with building, transport and resource management technologies coordinating with each other.

The 12 shortlisted companies were invited to move into the newly opened High Growth Space:24 in One Canada Square for a 12 week residency.

The firms will receive training from Canary Wharf Group executives and other major industry players, including Intel and Nesta.

Sir George Iacobescu, chairman and chief executive of Canary Wharf Group plc said: "We launched the Cognicity Challenge in order to promote the development of smart cities technology and the interoperability of systems in future cities. Welcoming these chosen smart cities start-up companies to Canary Wharf is a natural continuation of the Group's original aim to create the cityscapes of and for the future."

The short listed companies include a variety of innovative start ups, including 8point3 LED, which specialises in intelligent lighting control systems; Pavegen, which specialises in flooring technology that harnesses kinetic energy; and Solar Cloth, which is developing ultra-lightweight solar energy technologies.

Also named on the shortlist is office management technology firm Jooxter, solar glass company Polysolar, and waste-to-energy developer Quantum Waste.

The list also includes transport data specialists Alchera Technologies, BuzzStreet, and KnowNow, electric minicab manufacturer MellowCabs, and smart logistics firms Pie Mapping and Voyage Control.

The 'pilot phase' for the eventual winners of the challenge from the first two streams is scheduled to start in April.

Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries commented: “Four in five people in the UK live in towns and cities, so it is crucial that government and industry continue to support businesses developing new technology that will improve the quality of life in these areas. The Cognicity Challenge…aims to help talented tech companies to develop revolutionary new solutions to the challenges facing modern cities, from creating sustainable buildings to building homes that are more digitally connected.”

Intel’s general manager Rod O’Shea, said: “Initiatives like Cognicity with Canary Wharf Group are laying the foundations for London to unlock the smart city potential for all its residents.”