Busvision was the winner of the 8th edition of the COR Challenge, an initiative designed to foster innovative solutions that address the impacts of extreme weather events on urban mobility. Organized by the Rio Operations and Resilience Center (COR-Rio) in partnership with the Municipal Secretariat of Transport (SMTR) and ITDP Brasil, this year’s edition focused on “Public Transport and Extreme Weather Events” and was supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) through the Access Project, coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The competition brought together startups and technical teams from across Brazil to develop solutions aimed at strengthening the resilience of public transport systems in the face of floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events that are becoming increasingly frequent in cities.
Following an intensive acceleration phase that included specialized mentoring, access to data, and direct engagement with experts from the Rio de Janeiro City Government, Busvision secured first place with a platform designed to support the intelligent management of bus operations. The solution helps anticipate failures, optimize operational planning, and support decision-making during critical situations, contributing to a more efficient and resilient public transport system.
As the winning team, Busvision will enter an incubation period at COR-Rio, with the prospect of integrating its technology into municipal operations after the solution reaches the required level of maturity.
Innovation to Address Climate Challenges
The 2026 edition of the COR Challenge highlighted the importance of innovation as a tool for climate adaptation in cities. Made possible through funding from IKI—the German Government’s International Climate Initiative—the challenge encouraged the development of technologies capable of helping public authorities maintain transport services during extreme weather events, ultimately benefiting millions of users.
In addition to Busvision, three other teams stood out during the final stage of the competition:
- 2nd place: FADAF
- 3rd place: Rihanna
- 4th place: VAMO
The solutions presented demonstrated a high level of technical maturity and strong potential for real-world application. As a result, the finalist teams may also have opportunities for further evaluation and future incubation processes with project partners.
Strengthening More Resilient Cities
The COR Challenge is part of the broader efforts of the Access Project to promote sustainable mobility and climate adaptation solutions in Brazilian cities. The initiative is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13, which calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
By supporting innovation challenges such as this one, IKI helps transform ideas into practical solutions, strengthening cities’ capacity to respond to climate challenges while improving the quality and resilience of essential public services.
The results of the 8th edition demonstrate how collaboration among public institutions, international organizations, experts, and entrepreneurs can accelerate the development of technologies that make public transport safer, more efficient, and better prepared for climate-related challenges.
