Miami International Airport (MIA) – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – has announced the winners of its second Public Innovation Challenge. The aim of the challenges is to prioritise customer service at MIA, showcasing innovative technologies and solutions designed to enhance the airport experience for both passengers and employees.
The showcase featured live demonstrations of the winning technology solutions that will participate in a test program conducted at MIA through fall 2024: RouteMe, which utilises Artificial Intelligence (AI) to allow a passenger to navigate MIA simply with their phone camera; Signapse, which utilises Generative AI to deliver text to sign language translation, making digital signage accessible to deaf passengers at MIA; and Mapsted, which provides airport wayfinding mapping with accessibility features and integration to smart technology devices.
“As one of the 10 most transited airports in the country and the largest gateway to our community, MIA provides the perfect environment in which to demonstrate that inclusive technology solutions and user-driven innovation are essential to elevating the travel experience,” said Leigh-Ann A. Buchanan, President & CEO of Miami-Dade Innovation Authority. “The winners of MDIA’s second Public Innovation Challenge have developed solutions that prioritise the needs of all passengers, including those travellers with different physical and hidden disabilities, to navigate the airport effectively and seamlessly.”
Miami-Dade Innovation Authority (MDIA), working in collaboration with Miami International Airport and Miami-Dade County’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development, selected the Public Innovation Challenge winners from a competitive pool of 136 local and global technology companies. MDIA will invest $100,000 in funding into each company to support testing their technology at MIA with the aim to scale these solutions to airports globally afterwards.
“The Office of Innovation and Economic Development’s mission is to build a future-ready Miami-Dade by emphasisng equity, resilience, and innovation,” said Francesca de Quesada Covey, Chief Innovation and Economic Development Officer. “The Public Innovation Challenge at Miami International Airport is a perfect example of this commitment. By integrating cutting-edge technology and fostering cross-sector collaboration between our local government and innovators, we enhance the passenger experience and align with our core values of agile, solutions-oriented governance. This initiative not only advances our goal of creating a thriving, inclusive economy but also ensures Miami-Dade remains a global leader.”
Simultaneously, as part of MIA’s Future Ready initiatives, the airport is advancing its Modernization in Action Plan, a comprehensive effort that will invest nearly $9 billion in maintenance upgrades and capital improvements over the next 10 years. This plan includes some of the largest modernisation projects in MIA’s history, such as restroom upgrades, new passenger boarding bridges, renovated elevators, escalators, and moving walkways, the construction of a 2,240-space parking facility, a four-star hotel, and terminal-wide redevelopment projects.
