Smart Solutions for Invasive Species: The Myna Trap Challenge
Smart Solutions for Invasive Species: The Myna Trap Challenge
How might we develop smart traps to capture the common Myna (Arcidotheres tristis) - an invasive bird in Qatar?
Powering Innovation for Smart, Scalable, and Performant Traps for Invasive Species
Welcome to the Smart Solutions for Invasive Species Challenge!
Calling all solutions that can help us effectively capture birds without killing them.
The Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), an invasive bird species, poses a growing threat to Qatar’s ecosystems, agriculture, and urban spaces. With its aggressive behavior, it disrupts biodiversity, damages infrastructure, and creates safety concerns. Despite existing control efforts, the current methods are labor-intensive, limited, and unsustainable.
💡 Your Mission:
Develop smart, scalable, and humane traps to capture the Myna efficiently while protecting non-target species. Whether through AI-driven species identification, automated reset traps, or lure systems, this is your chance to design a solution that makes a real impact.
🚀 Why Participate?
Contribute to Qatar’s ecological preservation,
Showcase your innovation in AI, technology, and sustainability,
Be part of a game-changing conservation effort.
Ready to make a difference? Join the challenge and help us protect our ecosystems' balance! 🌍
💡 Your Mission:
Develop smart, scalable, and humane traps to capture the Myna efficiently while protecting non-target species. Whether through AI-driven species identification, automated reset traps, or lure systems, this is your chance to design a solution that makes a real impact.
🚀 Why Participate?
Contribute to Qatar’s ecological preservation,
Showcase your innovation in AI, technology, and sustainability,
Be part of a game-changing conservation effort.
Ready to make a difference? Join the challenge and help us protect our ecosystems' balance! 🌍
Challenge Statement
Innovative Solutions to Real-World Problems: Explore How You Can Make an Impact
Potential solutions we can look at could include (but should not be limited to):
- AI-driven species identification: cameras and AI algorithms will analyse bird’s physical characteristics and behaviour to ensure that only Myna’s are trapped, while non-target species are released.
- Sensors and motion detectors: infrared or pressure sensors will trigger the trap only when the target species is detected.
- Automated reset and remote monitoring: the trap will reset itself after each capture, with real -time notifications sent to a mobile or web platform for remote monitoring and data collection.
- Lura systems: the use of sound technology (pre-recorded Myna calls) and food bait (breadcrumbs, fruit) to attract the birds.
Opportunities & Incentives
Step Up and Be Rewarded: Unlock Opportunities Worth Up to $100,000 in Awards
Cash contributions from QRDI
In-kind contributions
In-kind contributions
Timeline Overview
Feb 23rd - April 14th 2025
Startups and SMEs can now sign up on the platform, complete the participation form, and submit a proposal deck to showcase their solutions.
A webinar will also be hosted for further details and a Q&A session (exact date TBC).
May - June 2025
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) will review the proposals and identify potential solutions for collaboration. Shortlisted innovators will be notified by the end of June 2025.
July - August 2025
Shortlisted innovators will have the chance to connect directly with the MoECC for further discussions, clarifications, and final evaluation.
September - October 2025
The final announcement of matched innovators will be made on the platform by October 2025.