BEST SOCIAL INNOVATION IMPACT

Interview
Rui Costa

 
 

INNOVATOR
 
 


Introduce yourself
to the reader

Your name

Rui Costa

Your professional background

I’ve vast experience in Research and Development initiatives for Innovative EU-funded projects while exploiting the created innovation in novel business opportunities at an international scale. I work on technology applied to my company’s core strategies, Telecom and Smart Cities, namely AI, Blockchain, Big Data, IoT, 5G, cyber-security, plus Cloud and Edge Computing.

Your passion for what you do

With a highly technological vision, I’m increasingly focused on optimizing results through the improvement of technology, innovation and mainly the business processes.

Did you apply as a Researcher or Innovator?

I applied as an Innovator.

A company you represent

I’m the co-CEO and co-founder of Ubiwhere.

 
 

Why was collaboration with the US your interest in the first place? Why did you apply to the NGI Explorers programme?

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) has an ongoing project for the redevelopment of the District area, which involves URBAN.SYSTEMS as the technology facilitator. It aims at a set of ambitious challenges, such as reaching net-zero carbon by 2040, leveraging transit-oriented; pedestrian-centric; and bike & micro-mobility infrastructure.
Ubiwhere wants to help URBAN.SYSTEMS meet these challenges with its technology and knowledge, while learning from the United States' techniques to tackle global issues related to transportation.
So, we considered that the challenge launched by NGI Explorers was a perfect opportunity to give strength to this partnership and enrich our solution.

 

In what way did your US node help you throughout the project development?
(e.g., Methodology, machinery, test beds, market, networks, ... you name it).
Please elaborate on the support and the benefits.

URBAN.SYSTEMS supported Ubiwhere by providing the critical mass that allowed the system to thrive, collaborating on the definition and customization of the rewarding scheme while promoting GoGreen via their robust network of partners.

 

How do you see your project development in the future?

What impact will the results have on society or environment?

The solution impacts in several ways the society, the environment, and the local economy namely:

  • CO2 emissions reduction by promoting sustainable means and incentivizing users to opt for them;

  • Data for city management by collecting information on the mobility patterns;

  • Promoting citizens engagement by providing a solution that enables citizens to get detailed information about their carbon footprint;

  • Environmental awareness by providing dashboards where any citizen can see their daily decisions and impact on the environment;

  • Contribute to the local economy by engaging local businesses.

What impact do you foresee on your further development/ research/
career/ product or service growth

Ubiwhere knows that implementing the technology by itself will not create sustainability. For that reason, GoGreen will be the flagship product of one of the several bundles that constitute Ubiwhere’s Mobility Catalogue, namely the Sustainability Bundle (https://mobility.ubiwhere.com).
Ubiwhere’s Mobility Catalogue helps cities achieve a real Mobility-as-a-service ecosystem, assisting in every step of the way. It is possible to access data in a single and central platform, retrieve KPIs, monitor current operations, and improve the decision-making process. By joining together different bundles that map the domains that cities need to digitize, the Mobility Catalogue unlocks Centralized
Management and the beginning of the MaaS dream.

What is the ultimate result you are trying to achieve?

Ubiwhere brings people and technology together with innovative solutions, creating, designing, and developing solutions that improve people's lives, bridging the existing gaps in the market. We focus on addressing smart city challenges by bringing innovation to overcome the challenges faced by the different sectors (mobility, environment, energy, waste, and tourism) to make the world more
sustainable. We aim to help people understand the impact of small gestures (e.g. their mobility options) on their communities, through usable technology. One of such solutions is GoGreen, a Blockchain-based rewarding system.

What are your next plans? Any sustainability in collaboration with the
US Node?

The collaboration with US Node was very important. The team has already an agreed pilot with a big company in the US. Besides that, the team is actively engaging other stakeholders, thanks to the support of the US Node. Thanks to Wilfred Pinfold from URBAN.SYSTEMS, Ubiwhere presented and demonstrated the GoGreen application to an audience of around 20 people, including representatives of transport operators and other business based at the CEIC District.

 

What is the biggest benefit the NGI program has offered to the development of your idea/ product/ service/ career? e.g. What was possible thanks to the NGI that it wouldn’t without?

The NGI Explorers experience was a great opportunity for Ubiwhere to connect with an unrivaled environment of excellence. The importance of targeting and developing products according to the reality of the end-users is undeniable. In this case, the reality in the US is very different from the one in Europe, whether in terms of culture, habits, needs, topography, interests, among others. Developing the GoGreen solution together with the US Node under the NGI Explorers experience allowed us to gain a new knowledge and perspective regarding the US citizens' needs.
Now, Ubiwhere meets all the conditions to contribute to position Europe into the powerhouse of the Next Generation Internet.

 

What is your reflection on the award you received from the NGI Explorers program and recognition of your efforts by external parties?

It is with great honor and pride that we receive the award from the NGI Explorers.
This recognition makes us believe that we are on the right track, a track that seeks to develop technology for people and towards a more sustainable world.
Sustainability plays a crucial role in everyone’s life. It affects everyone directly, and most of the time, only a few people care about it and understand that even a small gesture can have a tremendous effect on everyone’s lives. It is one of the core missions of Ubiwhere to make the world more sustainable. For that to happen, we need societal, environmental, and behavioral changes. We aim to help people understand the impact of small gestures on their communities through technology and to receive this award coming from entities of immense prestige gives us strength to continue in this mission.