Five finalists chosen for Smart City App Hack

Contribution from Chloe Nordquist
This past weekend, Hackers descended on the City of Phoenix for the Smart City App Hack, a global program launched in Barcelona this year to empower people to create apps and solutions for cities around the world.
The mission was to build an app that provides a solution to one of five global civic challenges: urban mobility, energy and emissions, shopping and retail, culture and tourism, and the collaborative city.
READ: Phoenix Hackers to Compete in International “Tech-Olympics”
“It’s like the tech-Olympics,” Mayor Greg Stanton said. “Our strongest team will represent Phoenix at the final competition in Barcelona and demonstrate to the international community that our city is harnessing human capital for the greater civic good.”
Five finalists were chosen as part of Phoenix’s Smart City App Hack:
ParkX – Formerly Park Genius, these UofA grads are taking on parking meters. ParkX allows motorists to pay for parking directly from their smartphone. The app sends reminders and alerts when the meter is about up and allows users to add money to the meter. The service is currently available in Tucson and cities in Texas. The company also partners up with local businesses to offer parking validation for on-street parking, coupons and more. The fees run between $0.25 to $0.35 per transaction. Read more coverage about ParkX here. Download the app here.

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Bloodhound – For those individuals suffering from dementia or diagnosed with a mental disability, this app is designed to help a safe return if the person has gone missing. The app is paired with a Bluetooth gadget that is affixed to the individual and for those that download the app, users will receive a notification if a missing person is within 50 feet of them. Download app here.