Plumis named as QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge finalist

27 Sep 2022

Plumis has been announced as one of ten finalists in the QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge, a virtual accelerator programme for the world’s foremost urban technology start-ups.

The innovative fire engineering company was selected from over 550 entrants spanning 70 countries in recognition of its Automist fire suppression system that detects fire earlier and activates faster than traditional sprinkler systems.

After progressing through a semi-final consisting of a business-to-government and capital acquisition-focused curriculum and one-to-one mentoring programme, Plumis will now compete for $100,000 in pilot project funding at the AcceliCITY Virtual Boot Camp in October.

Powered by sustainability and resilience-focused non-profit Leading Cities and its partner QBE Insurance Group, the competition aims to bridge the gap between start-up companies and cities, helping the world achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Expressing his delight at being shortlisted for the award, Yusuf Muhammad, co-founder and chief design officer at Plumis, says: “Our company exists to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by fire in domestic and residential settings by providing intelligent fire suppression equipment.

“We do this by designing and building industry-leading intelligent fire suppression systems that detect fire earlier, activate faster and deliver better outcomes for people and their homes, as well as other building tenures. Automist makes it possible to retrofit fire suppression in buildings where it would otherwise by impossible – enabling cities to deploy a targeted approach to prevention.”

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Now in its fourth year, the competition has seen submissions from start-ups tackling challenges such as food shortages, digital infrastructure, and renewable energy. AcceliCITY alumni have already raised upwards of $400 million, and many have since deployed their solutions in cities to improve the equity, resilience, and safety of urban centres.

Mike Lake, President and CEO of Leading Cities, comments: “Challenges such as climate change, population density, cyber risk, and pandemics are hastening the need to build thriving, resilient cities and implement new solutions that will change the world.

“The world’s ability to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals and our commitment to making a meaningful impact towards climate resilience and sustainability is only intensified by our collaboration with QBE.”

Chris Castaldo, Chief Financial Officer at QBE, who serves as Executive Sponsor of the programme, adds: “As a company that helps people and businesses protect themselves from risk, QBE understands the role we can play in helping our cities and local governments build resiliency and prepare for the environmental and economic risks that they are faced with.

“Our partnership with Leading Cities, which is in its fourth year, directly links our values and purpose to enable a more resilient future by supporting innovative solutions for our communities, customers, and employees.”

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