City of Munich Innovation Competition

How can we make a platform-based, digital event management process in Munich a reality, which enables bidirectional and continuous data flow with existing event software?

Some 9,000 events take place in Munich annually. However, the current registration and approval process is time-consuming and inefficient. In some cases data has to be manually entered into different systems, which is labor-intensive and increases the likelihood of mistakes.

We are looking for an innovative solution to digitize the registration of events via a user-friendly platform. The aim is to significantly reduce the amount of work involved for both event organizers and the authorities that permit such events.

The digital solution should boost efficiency while also improving planning security for event organizers. Transparent information about the status of applications, as well as additional information, will minimize follow-up questions. Furthermore, integrating geodata enables more precise planning and management of events as well as better recognition of interrelating factors that are relevant to security.

A seamless integration of the platform is essential for smooth cooperation among all parties. The automatic forwarding of relevant event data to the responsible authorities allows for early risk identification and the planning of measures in good time. This boosts event safety while also optimizing communication and coordination among authorities.

We are looking for creative approaches that consider the following criteria:

• Users: The solution should address the needs of external users and event organizers in Munich (associations, private event companies, municipal departments) as well as internal employees at the Department of Public Order (Office for Public Gatherings and Events, Fire Prevention, …), and possibly also other city departments and authorities (e.g. police).
• User-friendly and barrier-free platform: The platform must be intuitive to use. Reoccurring events can be easily created with the use of templates.
• Interfaces with existing systems: The solution should use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to ensure a bidirectional and continuous data flow regarding existing department-specific programs.
• Covers all event phases: The platform should cover all event phases, from planning and permission through to execution and follow-up work.
• Use of geodata: Processing and visualization of geodata with OGC-standard formats is necessary in order to depict the event data in GIS systems.
• Error-free and data-protection-compliant data processing All processes must comply with data protection regulations and ensure a high level of data integrity.
• Scalability: It should be possible to expand the solution to other areas, such as public gatherings, and include additional users.

Further considerations for the co-creation phase:

• Prototypical: It should be possible to implement the solution as a prototype, in order to enable rapid feedback and iterative improvements.
• Interactive: Users should be actively involved in the platform to exchange information and feedback. For example, if the organizer changes the event date/time, this information should be automatically forwarded to all other relevant stakeholders.

We look forward to your innovative ideas!

Contact persons for topic-related questions:
Department of Public Order – Fire Protection Unit
Magdalena Binder (for questions about the event-management process)
bfm.veranstaltungssicherheit@muenchen.de
Tel. (089) 2353 44010
Philipp Goll (for questions about geodata):
bfm.vb-geodaten@muenchen.de
Tel. (089) 2353 43110

How can we use innovative digital solutions to help persons who have been officially recognized as seeking protection complete the online application process, in order to increase user acceptance and submission numbers?

The City of Munich faces a challenge in that many refugees have difficulty understanding and correctly filling out online applications for humanitarian residence titles. These hurdles lead to uncertainty and delays in the application process. In order to make it easier to obtain the respective title from the issuing authority Servicestelle für Zuwanderung und Einbürgerung (SZE) following recognition from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), and to enable clients to quickly start the next phase of their integration, we are looking for innovative solutions to shape the digital submission of applications in a more intuitive and straightforward manner. Persons who have been officially recognized as seeking protection are the target group for this challenge, as this group currently has the lowest rate of application submissions.

The following humanitarian residence titles are available for online applications.
When the process is complete the printed residence titles will be distributed to clients by the SZE.

• Residence permit for refugees from the war in Ukraine
• Residence permit for refugees and persons entitled to asylum
• Residence permit for persons with subsidiary protection status
• Residence permit for humanitarian reasons with protection against deportation
• Residence permit based on approved admission by the Federal Government

We are seeking creative approaches to help make it easier for the target group to fill out the online applications for humanitarian residence titles and to better understand the overall process, in order to significantly increase the rate of submissions.

The solutions should take the following aspects into account:

• Interactive support: A digital guidance system should support the filling out of the online forms. This may contain interactive and visual elements. It may also be used for the rest of the journey from application submission to issuing of residence title.
• Multilingual options: The help provided must be in plain language and also multilingual, so that applicants who do not speak German also gain easier access.
• Barrier-free access: The platform for applications must be accessible to people with different abilities and backgrounds.
• User friendliness: An intuitive user interface is essential to guarantee smooth navigation and simplify the application process.
• Data privacy: The processing of personal data must conform to data protection regulations so as to protect applicants’ privacy.
• Integration into existing systems: It should be possible to seamlessly integrate the solution into the SZE’s existing processes and online application procedures.
• City-wide scalability: There should be the potential going forward to use the solution for other digital services within the City of Munich departments.

Co-creation phase: We expect close cooperation with the SZE to understand the needs of clients and in developing the solution. The pilot project to test the solution should happen in a realistic environment so as to collect beneficial user feedback.

Expected results:
The SZE’s clients will, in future, make greater use of online applications and no longer require personal consultations. This will speed up the application process.

We aim to increase user acceptance, boost the efficiency and quantity of applications, and expand the solution to other online applications for residence titles for foreign persons.

Be part of it! Be part of this important initiative and present your ideas to promote digital participation in Munich. After all, authorities are the first step on the path to integration.

Contact person for topic-related questions:
Department of Public Order
Matthias Gilch
Head of the sub-department “Humanitäre Angelegenheiten & Sonderfälle Sicherheit” (“Humanitarian Affairs and Special Security Cases”)
+49 (0)89 233-45233
matthias.gilch@muenchen.de

How can data on the distribution of animal and plant species in Munich City be improved?

In order to implement the City of Munich’s biodiversity strategy, it is vital to know which plant and animal species currently exist in the city, as well as their population sizes and trends. This knowledge is required in order to identify changes and, for example, optimally adjust care of habitats, develop or modify protective strategies and measures, and draw up specific programs to help certain species. Up-to-date information about species distribution in the City of Munich is necessary for fact-based, target-oriented, and cost-efficient conservation work.

The data is also important for implementing the national German (NBS 2030) and EU-wide biodiversity strategy.

To date, experts have carried out mapping in selected areas, to the extent that funding for the purpose exists. Additionally, environmental authorities and scientific institutions analyze databases. But even the exchange of relevant information with Munich’s conservation organizations does not provide a full picture of the situation.

The City of Munich wants implementation-focused solutions to ensure data flow and the possibility of data integration into the city’s specialist databases.

Innovative solutions might encompass some of the following:

• Evaluating publicly accessible notifications of species findings by third parties (iNaturalist, Naturgucker, GBIF, etc.). The data will be homogenized in an automated manner and, for example, be assessed for plausibility on the basis of reference lists.
• The use of multisensor stations (optical, bioacoustic, …) with automated species recognition at selected locations and standardized data transfer.

The Department of Climate and Environmental Protection supports the realization of an initial test prototype at selected locations in the city, including location selection as well as monitoring and data analysis.

Beyond Munich itself, the solutions could also be used by nature reserve authorities, in large-scale monitoring projects, in approval procedures for issues such as wind turbines or in basic research at universities.

Contact persons for topic-related questions:
Department of Climate and Environmental Protection
Dr. Tobias Lehmann (biodiversity monitoring)
MSc(GIS) Ralf Schüpferling (specialist data management)
Group email address biodiv.rku@muenchen.de

How can temporary art in public spaces be presented in a sustainable, digital, and innovative way for Munich’s inhabitants and other interested parties?

Challenge
An artwork right in the center of Marienplatz – it grabs your attention, is thought-provoking, and engages with topics such as society, aesthetics, sustainability, and creativity. Art in public spaces represents an open dialog with citizens. However, many artworks are temporary and can only be experienced at the location itself. Digital technologies enable new ways of archiving art and make art accessible in an enjoyable way, independent of time and place. At the same time, this creates new projection platforms for artists. Especially younger target groups increasingly expect immersive artistic experiences that they can actively co-shape and interact with. With Europe’s largest Public Art Program, the City of Munich aims to pioneer a unique hybrid artistic experience, thus reinforcing Munich’s reputation as an important art hub.

We are seeking (digital) solutions that ...

• make temporary art installations accessible beyond the duration of their physical presence,
• combine analog and digital worlds, e.g. by using AR/VR,
• address various target groups, including city inhabitants including (art-loving) citizens as well as artists,
• can be integrated into the platform publicartmuenchen.de,
• ideally creatively involve the Digital Twin Munich with its 3D city model or the GeoPortal

Surprise us with your ideas!

Cooperating with creative talents and startups at the interface of art and digitization, we want to set new standards for digital art in Munich. We provide a real-life urban test environment as well as a broad art network. In the co-creation phase fall/winter 2025, the winners will collaborate with experts from the Department of Arts and Culture, the IT Department, and the Municipal Services Department to realize the ideas proposed.

Future potential
If the project shows initial success it could conceivably be used throughout the city. It could also be transferred to other related City branches, such as the “Kunst am BAU” initiative or “Public History” at the Department of Arts and Culture.

Related links
These two art projects are examples of how temporary art highlights societal topics in a public place. They serve as a template and source of inspiration for proposals:

1. Mash & Heal by Folke Köbberling
→ Mash & Heal
A participation-based art project that inspires citizens to reflect on sustainability.

2. Copper Lick by Lina Lapelytė
→ Copper Lick
A blend of sound, performance, and sculpture that reinterprets urban space.

Contact persons for topic-related questions

Funda Karaca
Team Public Art München
Department of Arts and Culture
funda.karaca@muenchen.de
+49 (0) 1525 79 47 598

Julia Brückner
Smart City Strategist - IT Department
julia.brueckner@muenchen.de
+49 (0) 1525 79 85 528

Which innovative, beneficial, exemplary solution has the potential to promote and support the long-term provision and use of open data in the City of Munich?

Open data has the potential to help further develop urban society. This data can be read by machines, is free of charge, can be used freely and also, thanks to open licenses, be put to further use.

Examples of municipal open data include population statistics, budget data, information about public services, traffic data, environmental data, and geodata.

The City of Munich (LHM) publishes such data on its open data portal opendata.muenchen.de.

Challenge
Data often has quite a boring image. We present the following challenge: how can this perspective be changed in an innovative way? How can new target groups for the use of data be reached?
How can the City of Munich’s open data be offered in a simple and more attractive way in future in order to create clear value for the local population?
How can data be made fun?

Task
How can the City of Munich use an innovative, beneficial, exemplary solution to make the use of open data in civil society as well as the provision by the city departments more appealing?

The solution should help increase general interest in the active use of open data and also be an aid to solving specific problems facing society. In addition, it should help improve administrative processes and/or citizen engagement initiatives. The solution might, for example, show how data use can also be fun (such as in the form of a game).

Useful applications such as apps, websites, dashboards, analyses, and visualizations are all conceivable.

Benefits
The solution should help increase demand for (new) open data from the City of Munich.
The local population will recognize the value of using freely accessible data and will benefit from new applications.
The city departments can learn how useful open data provision and exchange can be and what benefits can arise from it.

Contact for topic-related questions
IT Department
data.opengov@muenchen.de

The following teams won the awards in 2023:

Topic: „Healthy senior citizens: "Digitalize a service and care network“, winner: Helferportal GmbH & Co. KG

Topic: „Expand places in Munich with digital innovations", winner: Team Puppet

Topic: „Digital monitoring of Munich's Diesel-free zone", winner: Transcality AG

Topic: „Text and the City - text mining in city development “, winner:  Legal-Pythia LLP

More information (in German).

The following teams won the award in 2022:

• Winner of the challenge “Raising awareness of climate change”: Cityscaper GmbH
• Winner of the challenge “Development of a cemetery app”: CI Cloud Item GmbH and proband15 GmbH
• Here you can find more information on the projects and the all the award winners from 2022.

The following teams won the award in 2019:

Topic: Waste avoidance in Munich's schools, winner: upride (formerly  bike|solutions )

Topic: Weekly digital market – Penetrating new target groups, winner Digitaler Wochenmarkt München

Topic: Self-generating calendar of cultural events for urban districts, winner: Neighbor