The Urban Freight Lab held Tech Day, an annual pitch competitions to provide a unique platform for entrepreneurs to present their ideas to the Urban Freight Lab, our members, public sector partners, venture capitalists specializing in logistics and goods delivery companies, and subject matter experts. This invaluable opportunity allows startups to share their innovative technology, increase visibility, and gain valuable feedback from industry experts and potential investors.
2021: Electrifying the Final Mile
Electrifying the Final Mile was aimed at addressing the environmental sustainability of last-mile delivery. The focus was on several key areas, including bolstering the adaptability of charging infrastructure, evaluating and optimizing performance of electric delivery modes like e-cargo bikes, electric delivery bots, and eVTOLs, and facilitating the broader adoption and scaling of electric delivery technologies.
Grand Prize Winner: FlexiModal
Semifinalists: KUHMUTE, re:Charge-e, and Scootility
2020: Last-Mile Delivery in the New Normal
We emphasized the acceleration of delivery speed and efficiency, while also curbing carbon emissions, improving sustainability efforts, recognizing the challenges of limited infrastructure, and aiming to minimize both user and operator costs.
Grand Prize Winner: OnRout
Semifinalists: Tortoise, Zown, and Arrived
2019: Transforming the Final 50 Feet of Delivery
We focused on the critical goal of mitigating parking-seeking behavior in densely populated urban areas. Achieving this objective carries far-reaching implications, such as improving the productivity of commercial vehicle parking spaces, reducing instances of failed first deliveries, and decreasing dwell time for delivery vehicles.
Semifinalists: Coord, Populus, StoreX, and Sucasa
2018: Technological Disruption and Innovation in Last-Mile Delivery
We focused on transformative technology-driven solutions to reduce parking seeking behavior, improve parking productivity in commercial vehicle load zones, reduce failed first deliveries, and reduce dwell time for delivery vehicles.
Semifinalists: Cleverciti, Havyn, Parkunload, and Udelv
2017: Innovative Freight Technologies
We focused on tackling the efficiency of delivery truck parking, whether at the curb, in an alley, or in an underground freight bay, by minimizing failed delivery attempts and reducing dwell time.
Semifinalists: Civic Smart, Hurdler Motors, and Metris LiveQ