‘Solar Cyclist’ – Real-world gamification of charitable donations – A World First

[July 9, 2020: Solar Cyclist]

Solar Cyclist is a paradigm-shifting app that promises to disrupt the charity industry by gamifying cycling.

Solar Cyclist aims to eliminate poverty, reduce carbon, and improve your health and fitness and is supported by brand ambassador and former Olympic gold medalist, Stuart O'Grady

The Solar Cyclist App offers cyclists the opportunity to help those in need by simply doing what they love.

Solar Cyclist is a freemium app that converts kilometres ridden into solar power for people in need. Simply by downloading the Solar Cyclist app and linking it to Strava, cyclists can support families without access to reliable power.

As cyclists ride, their distance covered is converted into watts of solar power. These watts are aggregated and a corresponding number of solar panels are installed on the roofs of homes and hospitals in disadvantaged regions including East Timor, Africa, and regional Australia.

Solar Cyclist is aiming to provide life-changing solar power to 1,000,000 people in need.

After struggling to raise money to renovate a school in East Timor, Solar Cyclist CEO, Kurt Opray decided there must be a better way, "Apps such as Clash of Clans, Fortnight, and Candy Crush Saga have demonstrated that consumers will spend billions of dollars on virtual purchases. We started by asking the question, what if those virtual purchases had real world impact? What if just by playing a game you could change somebody's life? Better still, what if we could tap into a pre-existing and highly engaged community of more than 40 million people and deliver this without requiring any behavioural change?"

Cyclists are able to track their performance and monitor the output of their 'solar system' through the app. Even if cyclists stop riding, their solar systems will continue to generate power for the life of the panels.

Australian cycling legend, Olympic gold medalist, 17-time Tour de France competitor, and current Director of the Tour Down Under, Stuart O'Grady, is the Global Ambassador for Solar Cyclist.

O'Grady said, "My cycling career has been beset with challenges and I've struggled through adversity and overcome serious injury on more than one occasion to compete at the highest level. However, very little compares to the challenges that many people face on a daily basis just to survive, to put food on the table. When I learned about the Solar Cyclist app I recognised an innovative opportunity to engage the cycling community and help those in need without changing their daily routine."

There is no obligation for a cyclist to ever pay any money. The Solar Cyclist free plan requires 600km to be ridden to generate one watt of solar power. Paid plans can reduce the distance required to as little as 99kms for the same result.

Cyclists can further reduce the number of kilometres required to ride to generate a watt. They can join a team, apply for sponsorship from real world brands, or upgrade their 'virtual bike' with sponsored parts.

Cyclists can compete to climb the leaderboard and regular challenges and competitions help to create a dynamic and engaged community that is able to do good for the planet, while doing good for themselves.

For more information, please visit www.solarcyclist.com

Download the app:

Apple iOS: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/solar-cyclist/id1494690304

Google Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.solarcyclist.androidapp