Biciclando Women’s Entrepreneurship Program created during the GovLab Multi-City Challenge Awarded $1 Million in Bloomberg Cities Network Global Mayors’ Challenge

In 2020, the City of Hermosillo in Northwestern Mexico was one of five participating cities in The GovLab’s Multi-City Challenge where residents and cities co-designed solutions to contemporary urban challenges. 

In January 2022, the Biciclando project, a recycling initiative to promote green jobs for women in the City of Hermosillo, was recognized by Bloomberg with a $1 million dollar prize to support the project’s expansion across Hermosillo. The idea for Biciclando took shape when the Multi-City Challenge launched an open call that asked citizens and residents to submit their ideas for how to support a circular economy in Hermosillo. Biciclando is a recycling initiative which promotes “green job” opportunities specifically for women. The initiative uses an app to identify and help collect recyclable waste from residences across the city; it is operated by a network of female cyclists equipped with pedal-assist electric bicycles. Hermosillo has leveraged Bicliclando to promote a culture of recycling, encourage healthy cycling habits, and to catalyze a more ecologically conscious lifestyle across the city.

The GovLab identified Bicliclando as a finalist in the Multi-City Challenge, where it was awarded an honorable mention by the former Mayor of Hermosillo Célida López and The GovLab in November 2020. As a finalist in the competition, the Bicliclando team was invited to participate in  trainings on pilot development. As a result of their participation in the  Multi-City Challenge, The GovLab connected the Bicliclando project team with Hermosillo city officials, who opted to further develop the project and to seek funds to further its development. This partnership resulted in recognition from the Bloomberg Foundation, in addition to one million dollars and three years of technical support to implement the project.

Winning projects of the Multi-City Challenge in Mexico continue to have impacts in their respective cities. In Hermosillo, Urbanismo Tactico (tactile urbanism) – a project that promotes pedestrian and cyclist mobility in the Centro and 5 de Mayo neighborhoods – reported contributing to an 18% increase in foot traffic, decreased driving speeds, and improved road safety. Hermosillo’s participation in the Multi-City Challenge fostered collaboration between city residents and the municipality by creating a culture of innovation in the community that continues to surpass the lifespan of the Multi-City Challenge project.

The Multi-City Challenge in Mexico received 237 proposals from residents in Mexico on how to address challenges related to improving transportation sustainability, COVID-19 response, and innovations in waste management, with 10 proposals selected for coaching and eventual implementation. In total, 29 public officials trained in problem definition, human-centered design and open innovation. Participating teams received over 80 hours of coaching and 20 hours of workshops on methods.