Upsoil Collective announced as winner of the Fishermans Bend Digital Innovation Challenge

Congratulations to Upsoil Collective for winning the City of Melbourne’s 2024 Fishermans Bend Digital Innovation Challenge.

Upsoil Collective is a collaborative project by Zoe Wang, landscape designer at Hassell and Michael Mobbs, Sydney-based author and environmental consultant, and seek to tackle food waste by transforming it into nutrient-rich compost through visible, simple and engaging urban composting. This initiative diverts food waste from landfill by combining buried worm composting with community gardening and urban greening. A buried design, combined with worms and sensor technology keeps the compost healthy and fresh.

We are looking forward to working with Upsoil Collective and the team at City of Melbourne to bring this idea to life in Fishermans Bend in 2025. Learn more about the winning idea by rewatching their pitch or checking out their Instagram.

We’d also like to congratulate their other 2 finalists - the Melbourne EcoSound Initiative by FutureLabs and the Mia Mias Micro Materials Bank by Commune and Co / Cirque du Soil proposed brave and brilliant solutions that would drive thriving biodiversity and circular community practices using smart tech designs in Fishermans Bend. Watch their pitches online.

And to everyone who submitted an idea as part of the Challenge and to the 700+ people who voted in the challenge. Each idea, connection and vote is a step towards a more innovative, collaborative and regenerative Fishermans Bend!

Stay tuned and Follow the City of Melbourne’s Emerging Technology Testbed for updates.