Lessons from London’s open innovation challenge for pandemic recovery

Ten start-ups have been selected as the winners of the London Mayor’s Resilience Fund.

Their solutions include a floating solar array, an income-tracking tool for gig workers, and a platform for fitting out workspaces affordably.

The £1 million (US$1.37 million) innovation programme was set up to support London’s businesses and community groups to recover from COVID-19 and to help make the capital city more resilient.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan identified ten priority challenges alongside local authorities, public agencies, social enterprises, and community groups. These problems, including reviving high streets, supporting the bereaved and improving air quality, were then put out to t...