Two challenges. Real industry problems.
Rather than asking participants to come up with a business idea and then go looking for a problem to solve, the Built World Challenge starts with the problem.
Industry partners identified two challenges where new technology could make a meaningful difference, giving participating teams a starting point grounded in actual customer needs.
The Building Codes Challenge asked teams to explore how AI could make the alternative solution application process easier and more efficient. When builders want to use an approach that differs from what’s prescribed in the building code, they need to demonstrate that their proposed solution meets or exceeds the required performance standards. Teams were challenged to develop tools that could help prepare more complete, code-referenced applications before they reach a Safety Codes Officer.
The Embodied Carbon Challenge focused on another growing need in the construction industry: making whole-building embodied carbon assessments more accessible. These assessments can be costly, time-consuming and technically complex, particularly for residential builders. The challenge was to develop software that could use existing building plans to generate affordable, compliance-ready assessments.
Different problems, but a similar opportunity to use technology to remove barriers and help an industry work more effectively.
Putting the ideas to the test
Over the past several weeks, participating teams have been working to turn their ideas into solutions, bringing together different skills and perspectives along the way.
At the November 10 semi-finals, 15 teams had the opportunity to demonstrate their work, explain the problems they were addressing and make the case for why their solutions could work in the real world.
The demos sparked some of the best conversations of the day, with attendees eager to see how each solution worked and genuinely impressed by how much teams had built in such a short time. On stage, the teams brought real confidence and a clear understanding of the problems they’d taken on. As one semi-finalist told us afterward, “I found co-builders and was able to build so fast and efficiently that I’ll take this learning into the business I’m building now.”
It’s one thing to have an interesting idea. It’s another to put it in front of people who understand the industry, ask questions about how it would work and challenge you to think about what comes next. That’s an important part of the process, and one of the reasons this challenge was designed to connect innovators directly with industry.
Following the presentations and judging, 8 teams were selected to advance to the December 1 finals.
Building Codes Challenge
- Muhammed Dilaver
- BildinKode
- Premit
- Scaleup Consulting
Embodied Carbon Challenge
- Shiv & Div
- Cyclus
- Limitra ai labs
- Footing
We also want to recognize every team that participated in the semi-finals. Taking an idea from concept to something you can demonstrate in just a few weeks is no small undertaking, particularly when you’re working through a complex industry challenge.
Industry has a role to play in innovation
One of the things that makes the Built World Challenge particularly interesting is the role industry plays from the very beginning.
These aren’t hypothetical problems. They’re challenges that companies and organizations are already facing, and their willingness to put those problems forward creates opportunities for innovators to work on solutions with a potential customer in mind.
A special thank you to our Building Codes Challenge sponsors Safety Codes Council, Jayman Built, Build Forward Alberta, BILD Alberta and City of Edmonton, and our Embodied Carbon Challenge sponsors Landmark Homes, Alberta Ecotrust and the Carbon Leadership Forum for helping make these opportunities possible.
We also want to recognize the broad community that co-organized and contributed to this program: the University of Alberta, the Engineering Incubator, NAIT, eHUB, the ERIN, ISAIC, the Construction Innovation Centre, Startup TNT and Amii.
That collaboration matters. It gives participants access to industry knowledge and feedback while creating opportunities for organizations to explore new approaches to problems that haven’t been easy to solve.
Next up: The Finals
The work isn’t finished yet.
The finalist teams will return to Edmonton Unlimited on December 1 for the Built World Challenge Demo Day, where they’ll present their solutions and compete for prizes, including $3,000 for the winning team and $1,000 for each of two runners-up.
And there’s potential for the work to continue beyond the competition. Top teams may also have the opportunity to apply for funding through Edmonton Unlimited’s Venture Pilots program to help implement their solutions with real customers.
That’s what makes this more than a pitch competition. The goal is to create a path for promising ideas to move beyond a demonstration and into practical use.
After all, you never know which idea might become the next company, product or solution that changes how an industry works.