SC2 ECONOMIC VISIONING CHALLENGE

The SC2 Economic Visioning Challenge (SC2 EVC) is an innovative prize model in which the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) provided funding to three cities to create a prize competition for local economic development plans. The SC2 EVC launched in February 2014, when EDA awarded $1 million each to Greensboro, NC, Hartford, CT, and Las Vegas, NV. The winning economic development plans were selected by community and business leaders from each city.

The SC2 EVC was a two-phase competition, and the cities ultimately awarded a total of $2.5 million in cash prizes to the teams with the best plans, including a $500,000 cash prize to the first place team in each city. Cities are continuing to work with teams to implement the best plans – cities have set aside funds, and will also use the winning plans as a base for highly competitive grant applications.

PARTICIPATING CITIES:

GREENSBORO, NC
https://greensboro.sc2prize.com

HARTFORD, CT
https://hartford.sc2prize.com

LAS VEGAS, NV
https://lasvegas.sc2prize.com

Economic Visioning Challenge Phase 2 Winning Teams

HARTFORD, CT

Winners announced May 2015
Announcement event attended by the Mayor, Senators Blumenthal & Murphy, Congressman Larson, and EDA Assistant Secretary Williams
Six winners out of ten Phase 2 finalists
$800,000 in cash prizes

1^st:
Hartford.Health.Works - $500,000 for a plan to create a healthcare and medical technology cluster
2^nd:
Made at Swift - $100,000 for a plan to support entrepreneurs and workers in innovative food sector
3^rd:
Entrepreneurship Foundation, Inc - $75,000 for a plan to create a multi-faceted campaign support entrepreneurship – education, training, investment, etc.
4^th:
It’s All Here - $50,000 for a plan to create a portal providing resources to entrepreneurs for public/private financing, consumer markets, and data analysis
5^th:
Hartford Rocks - $50,000 for a plan to renovate mixed-use downtown areas
6^th:
Team FotoFiction - $25,000 for a plan to use shipping containers as inexpensive commercial outlets in underused areas like city parking lots

LAS VEGAS, NV

Winners announced June 2015
Announcement event attended by Las Vegas City Council, various city government officials, business CEOs, and EDA Assistant Secretary Williams
Six winners out of ten Phase 2 finalists
$800,000 in cash prizes

1^st:
Build a Better Las Vegas - $500,000 for a plan to build an Unmanned Aerial & Robotics Resource Center at Cashman Center
2^nd:
Strain/Stalk - $100,000 for a plan to build a mixed-use Mid-Strip Main Street project
3^rd:
Gensler - $75,000 for a plan to build a sustainable business center at Cashman Center
4^th place (tie):
Don Alejandro’s Texan Inc, Villa Latina - $50,000 for a plan to build a Hispanic multi-cultural center at Cashman Center
4^th place (tie):
Every Neighborhood Needs an Architect - $50,000 for a plan to redevelop blighted properties in the city’s Redevelopment Area 2
5^th:
HERServices - $25,000 for a plan to create a “Green Sustainable District” in the city’s Redevelopment Area 2

GREENSBORO, NC

Winners announced August 2015
Six winners out of six Phase 2 finalists
$900,000 in cash prizes

1^st:
Global Opportunities Center - $500,000 for a plan to create a center for universities, firms, and communities to coordinate educational and business goals
2^nd:
Gig G - $150,000 for a plan to build a publicly-owned gigabit speed fiber optic network
3^rd:
Gateway University Research Park Testing Center - $100,000 for a plan to build a testing center to support technology firms
4^th:
Cityfi - $75,000 for a plan to create a city-wide Wi-Fi network across all neighborhoods and districts
5^th:
Global Greensboro - $50,000 for a plan to create distinct local economic specializations
6^th:
Lifelong Learning City - $25,000 for a plan to create the Greensboro Union of Institutions for Learning and Development

More information on these comprehensive economic development plans and on the Economic Visioning Challenge can be found at www.eda.gov/challenges/sc2challenge/ and www.sc2prize.com/.