The city of San Diego wants to get smart. As in, make sure it’s among the first urban areas employing technology to cut waste and improve public services, like transportation and utilities. In this regard, it can use some help. Hence the city’s decision to participate in a grant-funded program to prototype apps and launch them as pilot programs. The program kicked off last December with a brainstorm session to identify the biggest challenges San Diego faces that can be solved with tech.

The city is among dozens that have partnered with US Ignite, a nonprofit initiative of the National Science Foundation that seeks to create smart-city apps. San Diego has also teamed up with Scale San Diego, a local smart-cities-tech accelerator. The efforts will be funded by a three-year grant from Cox Communications. In both 2019 and 2020, two projects will be selected for pilot programs by way of hack-a-thons and other events. Entrants can win cash prizes for their submissions.

Tags: App, San Diego, technology