Apply for the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge 2025: A Global Accelerator for Impactful Solutions
The QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge, a prestigious accelerator powered by Leading Cities and the QBE Foundation, provides an unparalleled opportunity for high-impact startups to accelerate their solutions and implement them in cities around the world. This global initiative aims to foster innovation by connecting visionary startups with the funding, mentorship, and real-world city partnerships necessary to turn bold ideas into tangible, lasting impacts.
The challenge focuses on addressing the growing risks of climate change, infrastructure failures, and urban challenges. It serves as a platform to identify, nurture, and deploy solutions that enhance the resilience of communities, help cities better prepare for future crises, and enable faster responses to emergencies.
While the program’s goal is to provide a space for startups to test and scale their solutions, it also seeks to facilitate collaboration between startups, city officials, and industry leaders, ensuring that transformative innovations do not remain sidelined but are brought to the forefront to tackle pressing global challenges.
Why the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge Stands Out
Unlike traditional startup competitions, the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge is specifically designed to bridge the gap between innovative solutions and the real-world implementation of those ideas. Startups face the challenge of moving quickly to prove their impact while navigating the slow-moving processes of city governments and infrastructure systems. The QBE AcceliCITY accelerator addresses this gap by providing a direct route to municipal partners, government officials, and industry leaders eager to integrate innovative solutions into city planning and development.
Startups participating in the challenge don’t just compete for financial prizes; they also gain exclusive access to city leaders who are looking for cutting-edge technologies and strategies to make their communities more resilient. Additionally, the accelerator offers valuable mentorship, city partnerships, and the chance to pilot solutions in real-world urban environments. This ensures that promising ideas are not only recognized but also deployed where they can create the most impact.
A Unique Accelerator Experience
The QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge offers a distinctive approach by running in two regional divisions to accommodate startups from around the world. Each division accepts 50 startups, ensuring that a total of 100 high-impact entrepreneurs can participate in the program. This regional division allows startups to engage with local city leaders, experts, and investors while ensuring that global participation is accessible without the constraints of time zone barriers.
As part of the program, startups gain access to LaunchPad 11, the first virtual incubator for smart and resilient solutions. The accelerator’s curriculum and networking events are hosted on this platform, providing participants with opportunities to collaborate with city leaders, industry experts, investors, and other innovators. These interactions provide invaluable insights, connections, and opportunities for future growth.
Four Prizes, One Global Stage
The QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge offers four significant prizes to ensure a diverse range of startups can benefit from the program:
- $100,000 Grand Prize – This prize is awarded to the overall winner of the Resilience Challenge, a startup that demonstrates groundbreaking innovation in resilience, sustainability, and climate adaptation. The Grand Prize winner receives $100,000 in non-equity funding to implement a city pilot. This prize is open to all resilience-focused startups, regardless of their industry.
- $25,000 People’s Choice Awards (two prizes) – These awards are given to the startups that receive the most votes from the public. The People’s Choice Awards recognize the startups that generate the most enthusiasm and support from communities worldwide. These awards help ensure that solutions with widespread appeal and community engagement are also given the opportunity to scale.
- $25,000 PropTech Prize – This specialized prize focuses on innovations aimed at sustainable solutions for the commercial property sector. Startups applying for the PropTech Prize will receive tailored support and guidance from experts in the property technology space, including customized mentorship in operations, data analytics, and insights from the QBE Ventures and Underwriting teams. Applicants for this prize are also automatically considered for the Grand Prize and the prepaid pilot opportunity.
Why Should Startups Apply?
The QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge is not just a competition; it is an opportunity for startups to gain visibility, credibility, and access to critical resources. The challenge is looking for innovative solutions that help cities become more resilient to climate-related risks, infrastructure failures, and other urban challenges. Startups that apply will have the chance to pilot their solutions in real cities, collaborate with key stakeholders, and scale their impact with the backing of municipal leaders and industry experts.
Benefits of Participating in the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge
Participating in the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge provides several significant advantages for startups:
- Funding: Startups can compete for non-equity funding that can support their growth and implementation efforts.
- Mentorship: Each startup gains access to expert mentors who provide guidance on scaling solutions, navigating challenges, and building effective partnerships.
- Networking: Startups connect with city leaders, investors, and other innovators in the resilience space, opening doors for future collaborations and partnerships.
- Real-World Impact: The challenge ensures that innovations are deployed in real cities, allowing startups to test and refine their solutions in a live environment.
- Global Exposure: With a global stage, startups can gain exposure to a worldwide audience of city officials, investors, and potential collaborators.
Who Should Apply?
The QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge is open to startups that offer solutions aimed at strengthening urban resilience. Ideal applicants include those working on technologies and strategies that address climate change, urban infrastructure, disaster preparedness, sustainable development, and community resilience. Startups focused on creating long-term solutions that make cities safer, more adaptable, and sustainable are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Applications for the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge are now open, with a deadline of April 30th. Startups from across the globe are invited to apply and compete for the prestigious prizes. Participants will gain access to an exclusive network of city leaders, investors, and experts, as well as invaluable mentorship to guide them through the accelerator’s curriculum.
For more information on how to apply, register for an information session, or learn about the detailed requirements of the challenge, interested startups can visit the official QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge website.
Apply Now
The QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge is more than just an accelerator—it is a powerful platform that connects innovative startups with the resources, mentorship, and partnerships they need to bring their solutions to life in cities around the world.
By providing funding, exposure, and direct access to municipal leaders, the challenge is helping to turn visionary ideas into real-world solutions that can improve urban resilience and sustainability for generations to come. Startups eager to make a lasting impact in the world’s cities should apply now for this incredible opportunity to scale their solutions and drive positive change.
