A total of 20 proposals were received from countries such as Chile, Brazil, the United States, Greece, Spain, and Colombia.
Ruta N Medellín and the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), an international nonprofit created by the Toyota Group, announced the names of the five selected projects that will develop solutions to facilitate mobility in Medellín and ensure safer, more autonomous, and accessible travel.
The call was aimed at technology-based companies, social organizations, urban collectives, universities, and other stakeholders with experience in mobility, accessibility, and human-centered design. A total of 20 proposals were received, featuring a diversity of technical, methodological, and territorial approaches, from countries such as Chile, Brazil, United States, Greece, Spain, and Colombia (including Medellín and Cali).
“The cities that lead tomorrow understand that technology improves people’s quality of life. That is why, at Ruta N, we promote a GovTech vision that places government at the service of citizens. In that purpose, the five projects, selected together with Toyota Mobility Foundation, represent a key step toward building mobility solutions for everyone, responding to the realities of territories and strengthening the autonomy of people with reduced mobility”, said Carolina Londoño, Executive Director of Ruta N.
The proposals, which will begin piloting their solutions through mid-year, are: Brazo Amigo, Solyon, Universidad EAFIT, El Comité, and Fundación Más Urbano. Selection criteria included technical and operational feasibility; territorial relevance; methodological clarity; coherence between activities, results, and resources; feasibility of validation within a defined timeframe; and minimum conditions for implementation in the territory, among others.
“We have worked for more than ten years to build a city that is more welcoming for everyone and in harmony with the environment. We found that many people cannot move independently, and this has led us to increasingly think about how to solve these small challenges through infrastructure and through what we do as an organization”, said Manuel Londoño of Fundación Más Urbano, one of the selected participants.
The five initiatives will implement solutions according to the needs of each challenge. The first focuses on ensuring inclusive travel, addressing the safety of pedestrians who use assistive devices; the second seeks to improve barrier-free access to public transportation; and the third aims to enable people with mobility limitations or other disabilities to board, travel on, and exit buses quickly, safely, and reliably.
“The selected cohort of innovators reflects the strong culture of innovation in Medellín and the Valle de Aburrá. The voices of residents and users are essential to guiding the path toward autonomous mobility. Addressing challenges such as accessible mobility requires collaboration with local stakeholders, and we are excited to work alongside these projects and the communities they serve”, said Lorielyn Mills, Program Director at Toyota Mobility Foundation.
This strategy includes an investment of up to COP $1 billion, with COP $500 million allocated for this pilot phase. The initial impact will be experienced in communes 3—Manrique and 4—Aranjuez, where the highest percentage of residents with physical disabilities in Medellín is concentrated, according to the Registry for the Location and Characterization of Persons with Disabilities.
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