Dallas Innovates: Portugal’s Omniflow Wins NTXIA’s Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge

SANDRA ENGELLAND • DEC 16, 2025 - Dallas Innovates

Competing against four global startups at Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Omniflow won funding, travel, piloting, and business development opportunities in the United States, along with the NTXIA Champion Texas Belt Buckle. 

North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA), a nonprofit regional consortium of over 50 municipalities, agencies, corporations, and academic institutions across North Texas, has announced Omniflow as the winner of the 2025 Smart Cities Global Startup Challenge alongside Texas cities Frisco and McKinney, Plug and Play, and Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners.

Competing against four global startups at Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Omniflow won funding, travel, piloting, and business development opportunities in the United States, along with the NTXIA Champion Texas Belt Buckle. 

“The energy and enthusiasm our five finalists brought to the Smart City Expo World Congress this year was unmatched,” NTXIA executive director Jennifer Sanders said in a statement. “Omniflow, Advanced Services in Mobility, Helpful Places, Latitudo 40, and Tiami Networks, Inc. were fully prepared and each showcased strong solutions that addressed this year’s problem statements.”

“These startups did not make choosing a winner easy for our judges,” Sanders added.

Sanders thanks  each of the startups and the panel of judges for making the trip to Barcelona for the competition.

“We were honored to have an incredible group of startups and distinguished judges join us at the event,” she said. “Congratulations to Omniflow on this achievement, and we’re excited to kick off planning travel, piloting, and funding opportunities for 2026.”

You can find out more about the competition and the other 2025 finalists in our October story.

Carbon neutral IoT applications for smart cities

Headquartered in Portugal, Omniflow offers carbon neutral smart IoT applications powered by wind and solar with integrated energy storage and grid connection that allows multiple integrated applications. Omniflow’s solutions enable cities to transform utilities like a streetlight or even a city bench into a carbon neutral object that can be used for a number of IoT purposes. The solution supports cities while they integrate new technologies to improve their residents’ daily lives while also helping cities meet their sustainability goals and cost savings in energy spending, NTXIA said.

“This award is a tremendous milestone for Omniflow and our vision of transforming urban infrastructure into a platform for sustainability and intelligence,” Omniflow CEO Pedro Ruão said in the statement. “We’re excited to work with NTXIA and the innovative cities of North Texas to demonstrate how our renewable-powered AI smart hub can improve public safety, connectivity, mobility, and energy resilience.”

“Together, we’ll show what the future of smart cities can look like when technology and sustainability move forward hand in hand,” Ruão added.

This year, Omniflow was awarded funding toward potential pilots, travel and accommodation funding, and business development meetings across City Departments, corporate innovation, R&D centers, education systems, healthcare institutions, and more from across the country.

Stakeholders weigh in

The panel of judges included representatives across NTXIA, Frisco Economic Development Corporation, McKinney Economic Development Corporation, Plug and Play, Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners, AMSYS Innovation Solutions, and Toyota Mobility Foundation. 

Stakeholders said that Omniflow’s technology shows a lot of promise.

“There are numerous challenges international companies face when entering the U.S. market, and Curiosity Lab’s mission is to remove these obstacles and provide a soft-landing pad for companies like Omniflow,” Emily Heintz, executive director of Curiosity Lab, said in the statement. “We’re confident Omniflow’s solution will be a strong new addition to our smart city ecosystem, and we’re looking forward to their pilot program in Peachtree Corners and to help them progress in the U.S. market.”

City development officials also saw potential in Omniflow’s solutions.

“In Frisco, we’re actively integrating technology into urban planning—from intelligent traffic systems to sustainable solutions—to improve mobility, safety, and quality of life for our residents,” said Gloria Salinas, SVP and chief growth officer at the Frisco Economic Development Corporation. “By embracing innovation, we’re building a city that’s more connected and future ready. Startups like Omniflow are essential to our innovation ecosystem, bringing fresh ideas and scalable solutions that align with our vision of a tech-enabled city.”

Michael Talley, SVP of the McKinney Economic Development Corporation, agreed.

“Omniflow brings a level of creativity and technical strength that fits perfectly with the vision our region is building toward,” Talley said. “Their approach shows what happens when smart tech meets practical city needs, and we’re excited to welcome them into the growing network of innovators shaping North Texas. We look forward to working with them as they explore new opportunities here in the United States.”

Innovation thrives when it is nurtured, said Plug and Play Director David Steele.

“At Plug and Play, our focus is on transforming bold technological ideas into scalable, real-world solutions.” Steele said. “Whether it’s mobility, sustainability, digital infrastructure, or public safety, we help startups pilot and refine technologies that elevate quality of life and create smarter, more connected communities.” 

He added, “Startups like Omniflow reflect the kind of creativity, technical strength, and problem-solving mindset that defines our innovation network. Their approach shows the impact that occurs when smart technologies are applied with practical purpose. We’re excited to support their growth as they explore new opportunities in the United States and collaborate with corporations, cities, and strategic partners across our ecosystem.”

NTIXA and partners will be coordinating with Omniflow to organize the startup’s trip to the U.S. to begin exploring business development and piloting opportunities with the goal of planning piloting and business development meetings throughout 2026.