OCT. 12, 2022 — StatVentures, an initiative of Census Open Innovation Labs (COIL), will scout technology through collaborations with nongovernment innovators to ensure the U.S. Census Bureau continues to provide quality data effectively and efficiently. Through multiphase competitions, StatVentures will invite participants to propose new ways the Census Bureau can collect and improve the nation’s supply chain data.

With the advent of e-commerce, changes in logistics processes and technologies and adoption of emerging technologies to enable new data streams, the Census Bureau wants to explore additional data sources and measurement techniques to supplement or evolve its current products and methodologies. StatVentures will work through a multiphase process. During the first phase, 10 winners will be awarded $10,000 each and invited to join a cohort of innovators in the next phase. In two subsequent phases of competition, these teams will work with the Census Bureau to develop their concepts into working models with the potential for adoption by the Census Bureau.

The first phase launches today. Rules and information about how to participate are available at <Challenge.gov>. Applications to submit concept notes open on October 26.

A launch information session, which provided more details on the program, was held virtually on October 13, 2-3 p.m. ET. You can find the recorded session online.

Those looking to participate will have until December 2, 2022 to submit their applications.

All nongovernmental entities or individuals prepared to demonstrate and iterate on a concept’s viability are invited to submit their ideas. 

RSVP for the information session and apply to the challenge at <http://coil.census.gov/statventures>.

For additional resources, including the Partner & Press Toolkit, visit <Challenge.gov>.