North Texas Innovation Alliance and Partners Announce Omniflow as Winner of the Second Annual SCEWC Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge
The North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA) has announced Omniflow as the winner of the 2025 Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge, recognizing the company’s innovative approach to sustainable and intelligent urban infrastructure. The announcement was made in partnership with the Texas cities of Frisco and McKinney, Plug and Play, and Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners following the competition held at the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona.
NTXIA is a regional consortium representing more than 50 municipalities, agencies, corporations, and academic institutions across North Texas, all working to advance a more connected, smart, and resilient region. Omniflow emerged as the top finalist after competing against four global startups and was awarded funding, travel support, piloting opportunities, business development resources in the United States, and the NTXIA Champion Texas Belt Buckle.
According to NTXIA Executive Director Jennifer Sanders, the five finalists brought exceptional energy and strong solutions to the competition, addressing key smart city challenges. She noted that Omniflow, along with Advanced Services in Mobility, Helpful Places, Latitudo 40, and Tiami Networks, demonstrated impressive readiness and innovation, making the judges’ decision especially difficult.
Headquartered in Portugal, Omniflow develops carbon neutral smart IoT applications powered by wind and solar energy, with integrated storage and grid connectivity. Its technology allows everyday urban assets such as streetlights and benches to be transformed into multi-use, carbon neutral smart infrastructure. These solutions help cities deploy new technologies that improve quality of life while advancing sustainability goals and reducing energy costs.
Omniflow CEO Pedro Ruão described the award as a major milestone for the company’s vision of transforming urban infrastructure into platforms for sustainability and intelligence. He emphasized the opportunity to collaborate with NTXIA and North Texas cities to demonstrate how renewable-powered AI smart hubs can enhance public safety, connectivity, mobility, and energy resilience.
As part of the award, Omniflow will receive funding toward potential pilot projects, travel and accommodation support, and access to business development meetings with city departments, corporate innovation teams, research and development centers, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations across the United States. Judges for the challenge represented organizations including NTXIA, Frisco and McKinney Economic Development Corporations, Plug and Play, Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, AMSYS Innovation Solutions, and Toyota Mobility Foundation.
Partners across the smart city ecosystem highlighted Omniflow’s potential impact. Leaders from Curiosity Lab, Frisco, McKinney, and Plug and Play emphasized the importance of supporting international startups as they enter the U.S. market and noted that Omniflow’s practical, scalable technology aligns well with regional goals for connected, future-ready communities.
NTXIA and its partners will now work with Omniflow to coordinate travel to the United States and begin planning pilot projects and business development engagements, with activities expected to continue throughout 2026.