Mass Tech Adoption

Challenge

Build the Future. Start in Detroit. Scale Everywhere.

Building Bold Solutions, Starting at Home!

Detroit is where innovation meets grit — and where the next generation of scalable tech solutions will be born. The BTS Mass Tech Adoption Challenge is more than a competition. It’s a call to action to solve one of the most urgent issues of our time: ensuring that everyone, regardless of zip code, has the skills, access, and confidence to thrive in a digital world.

This challenge invites builders, community organizers, technologists, educators, and creatives to submit solutions that start in Detroit and can scale to similar communities nationwide.

We don’t want vanity apps. We want tools that work in the real world — built with people, for people.

Challenge Structure & Timeline

  • Teams of 2–5 submit:

    • 2-minute intro video

    • Description of the problem, their solution, and target user

    • Early traction or prototype (if available)

    • A section on scalability: how this solution could grow beyond Detroit

    Deadline: August 15, 2025

    Teams notified: September 1, 2025

  • 9 to 13 finalist teams selected

    Each team receives:

    • A Mentor (experienced founder or domain expert)

    • A Coach (storytelling, UX, or operational expert)

    • A Researcher (data/impact validation and pilot prep)

    Teams participate in:

    • 2 virtual prep calls

    • Support in refining their project for maximum impact and clarity

  • Friday, September 26 – Builders Lab (Detroit)

    • Full-day, in-person collaborative build session

    • Teams work side-by-side with their mentor, coach, and researcher

    • Live user feedback sessions from Detroit community partners

    • Opportunity to film BTS content and impact stories

    Saturday, September 27 – Final Pitch (Detroit)

    • Public showcase at the Digital Empowerment Summit

    • 5-minute pitch + 3-minute Q&A per team

    • Judged by civic leaders, funders, ecosystem builders, and tech experts

    • 3 winning teams announced live

The Prize

Each of the 3 Winning Teams will receive

$25,000 unrestricted cash award

Entry into the 6-month BTS Launch Partnership, which includes:

  • Dedicated storytelling and branding support

  • Coordinated Detroit-based pilot rollout with BTS community sites

  • Ongoing mentorship and coaching

  • BTS-facilitated introductions to funders and ecosystem partners

  • Co-authored Impact Report with BTS researcher

  • Opportunity to be featured in BTS national storytelling campaigns

JUDGING CRITERIA

  1. Problem Clarity – Are they solving a specific, pressing problem?

  2. Innovation – Is this a new or significantly better approach?

  3. Feasibility – Can they build and deploy it within 6–12 months?

  4. Impact – Will it drive real adoption, skill growth, or access?

  5. Scalability – Can this solution expand beyond Detroit?

  6. Execution Readiness – Is this team ready to build and grow?

Team Execution Questions

To build with clarity and power, every team must be able to answer:

“What Detroit-specific digital adoption barrier are we solving?”

“What would success look like in the first 90 days?”

“What evidence shows that this could scale to similar cities?”

“How will we measure outcomes and tell our impact story?”

Detroit is not waiting for permission.
We’re building the future now — with the people who’ve been left out, left behind, and are finally stepping into their rightful place as innovators.

Let’s build what the world needs next

starting here.