Briefing 2025/26

Our Fundamental Question

How can we make commercial waste logistics more transparent, efficient, and reliable in a dense urban environment?

The City of Vienna’s MA 48 is looking for smart, scalable ways to track commercial waste containers (“Mulden”) in real time. These containers are critical assets in day-to-day waste operations, but managing their exact location, movement, and accessibility can be complex – especially across multiple sites, service zones, and logistics routes.

This challenge invites makers, developers, and solution designers to create an intelligent tracking system that combines IoT, geolocation, and AI-supported monitoring.

Our Goal

The goal is to develop a solution that can:

  • track the live location of commercial waste containers,

  • define geofenced zones where containers are supposed to remain,

  • automatically detect and flag when a container leaves its designated area,

  • and generate Google Maps links to support optimized routing, access, and field logistics.

MA 48 is particularly interested in ideas that go beyond simple tracking: for example, predictive alerts, anomaly detection, smart dispatch support, or interfaces that make operational decisions faster and easier for teams on the ground.

This is a real-world urban systems challenge at the intersection of public infrastructure, digital services, and sustainability. It is especially relevant for makers working on IoT hardware, sensor systems, fleet and asset management, geospatial tech, smart city applications, AI-based monitoring, or intuitive dashboard solutions.

The sweet spot? A solution that is robust, practical, and ready to create value in everyday municipal operations.

Who this challenge is for


Makers and teams with experience or curiosity in:
IoT and sensor integration, GPS/geolocation, geofencing, logistics optimization, AI-based alerting, smart city tech, UX for operational tools, and lightweight scalable platforms.

Your contact persons

Michael Maier
City of Vienna

 
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About us

MA 48 of the City of Vienna

MA 48 is the City of Vienna’s municipal department for waste management, street cleaning, and fleet services. Its core mission is to ensure effective municipal waste management, a clean city, and safe traffic areas under winter conditions. Waste prevention and proper waste separation are also among its central goals. MA 48 is one of Vienna’s largest municipal departments, with around 3,100 employees.

More details about MA 48

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