AWS Public Sector Blog

What Would You Do with $50,000 in AWS Promotional Credits?

The City on a Cloud Innovation Challenge is now open!

The City on a Cloud Innovation Challenge is a global program recognizing how local and regional governments are innovating on behalf of their citizens around the globe. Last year, we opened up the competition to school districts who are using the cloud to enrich learning, help teachers reach more students, and improve school or district operations. This year, we are adding a new category to the Challenge: We Power Tech.

Governments, school districts, and partners can now compete in four award categories:

  • Best Practices: This award category will recognize governments and school districts leveraging the AWS Cloud to implement a program or service on behalf of their citizens or students.
  • Partners in Innovation: This award category will recognize technology partners implementing a program or service on behalf of a government or school district.
  • Dream Big: This award category provides cloud credits to help governments and school districts implement big ideas through technology.
  • We Power Tech: This award will be granted to a technology partner who primarily serves underrepresented groups (including, but not limited to, communities of low- and moderate-income populations, recent immigrants, communities of color, youth, the elderly, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals) and has deployed an innovative solution to help a business, nonprofit organization, government or educational institution address a challenge that involves diversity or inclusion of an underrepresented group.

Winners will receive up to $50,000 in AWS Promotional Credits to help achieve their mission with the cloud. Click here to apply today. The City on a Cloud Innovation Challenge closes on May 11, 2018.

Last year, we recognized winners who are innovating to improve our roads, provide digital learning to all students, and benefit first responders. The Challenge produced inspiring applications from cities, police departments, school districts, and our partners that use real-time data analytics, IoT services, and open data projects, all on the AWS Cloud.

One winner was the Lawrence Police Department. They partnered with BodyWorn by Utility to provide Body Worn Camera technology using AWS for big data storage and analytics. Video and audio recording collected by police officers is instantly, effortlessly uploaded in a safe, encrypted storage environment. Watch this video to learn more.

If you have an idea that you want to showcase and expand or make a reality – apply now!

This year’s winners will be announced at the AWS Public Sector Summit in Washington, DC June 20-21, 2018. Learn more about past winners by visiting our City on a Cloud Innovation Map.