---
title: "The Innovate PHX Challenge"
url: https://stacklist.com/card/0ccd1021-8318-47c2-9a91-a183f64a32e0
source_url: "https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/innovation/the-innovate-phx-challenge.html"
stack: https://stacklist.com/c/business/stack/334ce623-87ab-44d4-be9a-91fa9980448f
summary: "The Innovate PHX Challenge is a biannual hackathon organized by the City of Phoenix's Office of Innovation and Venture Café Phoenix where diverse teams compete to develop solutions for urban priorities. Past challenges have focused on food resilience, smart cities, air quality, affordable housing, and manufactured shade, with winning teams receiving prizes and potential partnerships with the city."
tags: "innovation, hackathon, smart-cities, phoenix, civic-challenge, community-solutions"
key_entities: "Office of Innovation (organization), Venture Café Phoenix (organization), City of Phoenix (organization), Phoenix (location), Innovate PHX Challenge (event), Smart Cities (concept), Food Resilience (concept), Air Quality (concept), Affordable Housing (concept)"
classification: "reference"
content_hash: "sha256:1cfcca24685b4c0742c42803ad4f4f8bc9b51d3aabb3a365bad20cca903b2c3d"
acp_version: "0.2"
token_counts_approximate: 1227
visibility: public
agent_accessible: true
status: "final"
---

# The Innovate PHX Challenge

Department Menu Innovation Overview About Us Chilled Drinking Water Initiative Improving Phoenix with Data and Evidence The Innovate PHX Challenge Smart Cities Pilot Projects and Collaborations Newsletters Media Coverage The Innovate PHX Challenge Sparking Innovation The Office of Innovation collaborates with Venture Café Phoenix to organize biannual Innovate PHX Challenge hackathons where participants from diverse backgrounds work in teams to address top City priorities. The teams then pitch their innovative solutions to a panel of judges for a chance to win a cash prize and potentially partner with the City to prototype ideas.​​​ Innovations in Neighborhood Food Resilience</h4>\r\n<p><i>January 2026</i></p>\r\n<p>This sixth Challenge took place January 22, 2026, focusing on innovations in neighborhood-scale food resiliency.  Five teams competed for first and second place prizes. </p>\r\n"}}" id="text-8b7b0492b7" class="cmp-text"> Innovations in Neighborhood Food Resilience January 2026 This sixth Challenge took place January 22, 2026, focusing on innovations in neighborhood-scale food resiliency. Five teams competed for first and second place prizes. Smart Cities Solutions for the Future of Phoenix</h4>\r\n<p><i style=\"font-weight: normal;\">May 2025</i></p>\r\n<p>The fifth Innovate PHX Challenge in partnership with Venture Café Phoenix invited community innovation teams to design solutions for Smart Cities for Phoenix. The challenge focused on Accessibility, Active Transportation, and Public Spaces to explore solutions that are under City of Phoenix control.</p>\r\n"}}" id="text-3a47e89d0f" class="cmp-text"> Smart Cities Solutions for the Future of Phoenix May 2025 The fifth Innovate PHX Challenge in partnership with Venture Café Phoenix invited community innovation teams to design solutions for Smart Cities for Phoenix. The challenge focused on Accessibility, Active Transportation, and Public Spaces to explore solutions that are under City of Phoenix control. Smart Cities Hackathon Recap <b>Improving Air Quality</b></h4>\r\n<p><i>December 2024</i></p>\r\n<p>The challenge improved air quality with a focus on addressing the top causes of air pollution emissions within Phoenix, including PM2.5 (smoke, soot, smaller dust) and PM10 (dust). Participants explored solutions that are under City of Phoenix control.</p>\r\n"}}" id="text-dee48d55f3" class="cmp-text"> Improving Air Quality December 2024 The challenge improved air quality with a focus on addressing the top causes of air pollution emissions within Phoenix, including PM2.5 (smoke, soot, smaller dust) and PM10 (dust). Participants explored solutions that are under City of Phoenix control. Air Quality Hackathon Recap <b>​Affordable Housing Solutions</b></h4>\r\n<p><i>June 2024</i></p>\r\n<p>The Office of Innovation held its third and most recent Innovate PHX Challenge at Venture Café. 34 participants formed six teams to "hack" solutions to expand affordable housing across Phoenix. </p>\r\n"}}" id="text-57f4222abf" class="cmp-text"> ​Affordable Housing Solutions June 2024 The Office of Innovation held its third and most recent Innovate PHX Challenge at Venture Café. 34 participants formed six teams to "hack" solutions to expand affordable housing across Phoenix. Affordable Housing Hackathon Recap​ <b>Manufa​ctured Shade</b></h4>\r\n<p><i>December 2023</i></p>\r\n<p>The Office of Innovation​ held its second Innovate PHX Challenge at Venture Café. Five innovative teams "hacked" solutions to expand manufactured shade across Phoenix. ​​</p>\r\n"}}" id="text-8e79b5878d" class="cmp-text"> Manufa​ctured Shade December 2023 The Office of Innovation​ held its second Innovate PHX Challenge at Venture Café. Five innovative teams "hacked" solutions to expand manufactured shade across Phoenix. ​​ <b>Chilled Drinking Water in Public Places </b></h4>\r\n<p><i style=\"font-weight: 400;\">April​​ 202​​​​3​​​​​​​​​​</i></p>\r\n<p>The Office of Innovation held its inaugural Innovate PHX Challenge at Venture Café Phoenix with Mayor Kate Gallego. Over 100 innovators "hacked" solutions to expand access to chilled drinking water ​in public spaces!</p>\r\n"}}" id="text-2ff699aebf" class="cmp-text"> Chilled Drinking Water in Public Places April​​ 202​​​​3​​​​​​​​​​ The Office of Innovation held its inaugural Innovate PHX Challenge at Venture Café Phoenix with Mayor Kate Gallego. Over 100 innovators "hacked" solutions to expand access to chilled drinking water ​in public spaces! Share: