NEWS

GovTech Connect, a regional program funded by BID Lab and implemented by Red de Innovación Local (RIL), is launching its first open call to accelerate the adoption of open-source solutions in local governments.

The call is open to startups, academic institutions, and civil society organizations interested in implementing an open-source technology pilot in one of the cities participating in the first cohort of CIIAR Uruguay, with funding of up to USD 10,000.

What is CIIAR Uruguay?

The Coalition of Cities for Artificial Intelligence and Responsible Innovation (CIIAR) Uruguay brings together thirteen Uruguayan local governments committed to strengthening their institutional capacities to adopt artificial intelligence and emerging technologies in an ethical manner focused on generating public value.

The first cohort includes the departmental governments of Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Colonia, Salto, Rivera, Rocha, Florida, San José, and Flores, as well as the municipalities of Punta del Este, Carmelo, and Nueva Palmira. These governments were selected from a pool of 22 applicants.

This call is organized in coordination with the Code for Development (C4D) team at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and its catalog of open-source solutions for the Latin American public sector.

What is the objective of the call?

To select one startup to implement an open-source technology pilot in a CIIAR Uruguay city, addressing a prioritized public challenge while generating value for citizens and producing lessons that can be replicated across the coalition.

The proposed solution may have been developed by the applicant startup or may be an existing third-party open-source solution.

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants include early-stage or growth-stage startups, civil society organizations, and academic institutions with the technical and operational capacity to implement, adapt, and deploy open-source software solutions in local governments. Consortia of organizations are also eligible.

Applicants must:

• Work exclusively with fully open-source software, with no proprietary or closed-source components, under a recognized license (MIT, Apache 2.0, GPL, EUPL, or another compatible license).
• Demonstrate technical experience implementing digital solutions.
• Submit, together with the application, a letter of interest from a CIIAR Uruguay member city confirming the relevance of the challenge and its willingness to participate as the institutional counterpart.
• Have the operational capacity to work in Uruguay during the implementation period, either remotely or on-site.
• Commit to documenting the implementation process and transferring knowledge and capabilities to the local government.

Additional points will be awarded to startups that also provide a letter of support from the organization maintaining the proposed open-source solution.

What challenges are eligible?

Proposals must address one of the following priority areas identified by CIIAR Uruguay local governments:

• Citizen services: complaint and request management, digital service channels, automated responses, and process traceability.
• Urban infrastructure: public space monitoring, public works management, urban asset registries, and road maintenance.
• Municipal solid waste management: collection route optimization, container monitoring, and citizen reporting platforms.
• Tourism and local development / Institutional innovation: visitor information and services, tourism flow analysis, and territorial data management.

Within the selected area, the startup and partner city must jointly identify and describe a specific local challenge.

What funding is available?

One pilot project will be selected and awarded funding of up to USD 10,000.

Funds may be used for:

• Solution adaptation or configuration
• Technical implementation
• Basic integrations with local government systems
• Training for local government staff
• Technical documentation
• Systematization of lessons learned

Timeline

• Application deadline: August 25
• Technical evaluation: August 25 – September 15
• Pilot selection and notification: September 16

Questions and contact

For questions about the call, contact:

melissa@redinnovacionlocal.org

Useful links

• Call guidelines and templates: https://basesconvocatoriaciiaruruguay.netlify.app/
• Open-source solution ideas curated by the Inter-American Development Bank team: https://codigoabiertogovtechconnect.netlify.app/
• Application form: https://forms.gle/QHeNrLERwBPPgtK48