Building on the work of Challenge Works and UN-Habitat, this guide helps local government leaders and innovators apply challenge-driven innovation in cities. It offers a step-by-step approach, real-world examples, practical tips, and useful resources to tackle urban challenges using innovation.

Challenge-driven innovation focuses on solving real problems, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and scaling solutions for cities. It broadens the network of stakeholders who can contribute to urban innovation, unlocking investments, influencing policy, and strengthening institutional capacity. 

The guide offers an introduction to challenge-driven innovation in cities and a five-step process for implementation, and also serves as a framework for training workshops.

This guide is a starting point for those eager to engage with urban innovation. It particularly aims to support lower-resourced cities by offering a practical tool to experiment with challenge-driven innovation.