From a 3D printed vaccine patch to an electric truck, a seawater-powered lamp, and countless other bold innovations, the sixth annual awards honor the products, concepts, companies, policies, and designs that are driving change, tackling issues from climate change to inequality, and so much more

The winners of Fast Company’s 2022 World Changing Ideas Awards were announced today, honoring clean technology, innovative corporate initiatives, brave new designs for cities and buildings, and other creative works that are supporting the growth of positive social innovation, tackling social inequality, climate change, and public health crises.

Cubic Transportation Systems’ GRIDSMART Protect was revealed as a finalist in the AI & Data category. GRIDSMART Protect is a cutting-edge platform designed for municipalities seeking to increase safety for vulnerable road users (VRUs) by bolstering existing infrastructure. GRIDSMART Protect leverages cutting-edge AI to track pedestrians and bicyclists as they enter, travel through, and exit intersections, reducing or extending clearance times as needed to streamline intersections and give valuable time back to other road users when possible. GRIDSMART Protect sets itself apart by prioritizing VRUs while simultaneously reducing traffic congestion for all.

Now in its sixth year, the World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 39 winners, 350 finalists, and more than 600 honorable mentions—with climate, social justice, and AI and data among the most popular categories. A panel of eminent Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 2,997 entries across transportation, education, food, politics, technology, health, social justice, and more. In addition, several new categories have been added this year including climate, nature, water, and workplace. The 2022 awards feature entries from across the globe, from Switzerland to Hong Kong to Australia.

Fast Company’s Summer 2022 issue (on newsstands May 10, 2022) will showcase some of the world’s most inventive entrepreneurs and companies tackling global challenges. The issues highlight, among others, probiotics for coral reefs, easy-to-assemble kit homes for refugees or disaster survivors, a 3D printed vaccine patch, an electric truck, a system to heat homes from the waste heat of a name-brand factory, and prosecutor-initiated resentencing for overly long prison sentences.

“We are thrilled to see our team’s amazing work get such recognition,” said Jeff Price, vice president and general manager of ITS, Cubic. “Not only can GRIDSMART Protect transform a city’s traffic flow without breaking the bank, but it does so as part of a new era of intelligent transportation systems that prioritize accessibility and VRUs as foundational components of AI-powered solutions. I hope this inspires transportation stakeholders across the country to further embed active transport and accommodation into the framework of their mobility networks making sure we don’t leave behind those who need the most support.”

“We are consistently inspired by the novelty and creativity that people are applying to solve some of our society’s most pressing problems, from shelter to the climate crisis. Fast Company relishes its role in amplifying important, innovative work to address big challenges,” says David Lidsky, interim editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “Our journalists have identified some of the most ingenious initiatives to launch since the start of 2021, which we hope will both have a meaningful impact and lead others to join in being part of the solution.”

For more information on GRIDSMART’s technologies including Protect, please visit https://gridsmart.com.

To learn more about Cubic and its innovative transportation technologies, visit https://www.cubic.com.

About the World Changing Ideas Awards

World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs and is focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world better. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all.

About Cubic Corporation

Cubic is a technology-driven, market-leading provider of integrated solutions that increase situational understanding for transportation, defense C4ISR and training customers worldwide to decrease urban congestion and improve the militaries’ effectiveness and operational readiness. Our teams innovate to make a positive difference in people’s lives. We simplify their daily journeys. We promote mission success and safety for those who serve their nation. For more information about Cubic, please visit www.cubic.com or on Twitter @CubicCorp.

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