QBE is inviting Australian and New Zealand entries for this year’s AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge from start-ups and entrepreneurs working to help make cities more equitable, sustainable and resilient.

The winner will be awarded $US100,000 ($134,094) while two runners-up will be awarded $US25,000 ($33,523) each, along with additional resources and collaboration opportunities to help build their initiatives.

Submissions for the global social innovation competition, run in partnership with non-profit organisation Leading Cities, close on April 30, with finalists to be announced in September.

This year marks the first time a program has been run for Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific. A separate program will be run in tandem with entrants from North America and Europe, with 10 finalists selected from all regions to compete in a final live pitch.

QBE is co-ordinating the challenge locally and says the collaboration encourages entrepreneurs whose ventures respond to changing physical, economic, and social risks.

“We need to be creating cities across the globe that are prepared for evolving and increasingly severe risks,” QBE Australia Pacific Chief Claims Officer Jon Fox said.

“We are looking to find and collaborate with creators of innovative solutions for city ecosystems that will help us build thriving, resilient cities,” said Mr Fox, who is also Co-Chair of the Australia Pacific QBE Foundation.

Participants can access one-on-one expert QBE mentoring and engagement with the venture investment and development arm of QBE. Previous challenge winners include DrugViu, which aims to create greater health equity for people of colour, and Bioo, which creates 100% renewable energy through plants.

Apply here.