- Solution area:Organisations ,Processes ,Quality assurance and certification ,Social participation and engagement ,Technological innovation ,
- Аdministrative level:Municipality ,District ,State ,Federation ,
- Solution process:Digitization and technology ,Mobility and transportation ,Public service ,Smart City ,Tourism and leisure ,
- Technology:Artificial Intelligence ,Digital twin ,Information technology ,Platform technology ,
Fundamt online
Streamlining lost property management
The loss of a personal item can have a range of consequences, especially if it is valuable or important. That’s where the lost and found service comes in. But how do these items find their way back to their rightful owners? With the innovative software solution Nova Find, the process of tracking lost items has been optimized in several European countries. The user-friendly and accessible platform connects lost and found offices across districts, cities, municipalities, and companies – even across borders. It enables quick and easy searches within a broad network of databases from participating lost and found offices. This AI-powered software solution is a transparent public service that already benefits more than 30 million Europeans.
Download PDF
Quick Facts
How it works
The lost-and-found software Nova Find is a solution designed for both citizens and lost and found offices. Entries can be made around the clock within just a few minutes – from a wide range of devices and from any location. Thanks to various search criteria such as brand or color, every item can be described in detail. Once an item is reported as lost, a list of found objects matching the description is displayed. With its automated matching function, items can be quickly returned to their owners – in full compliance with all data protection regulations and taking into account various legal situations such as fees, rewards, ownership claims, and retention periods specific to each region and/or country.
Nova Find is currently used in five European countries and connects all participating lost and found offices in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Italy, as well as a number of transport companies (ÖBB, DB, SBB, CFL), universities, hospitals, leisure facilities, and other organizations. Through its Software-as-a-Service approach, Nova Find provides citizens with a seamless solution for reporting and searching for lost items, while enabling staff in participating offices and companies to process them quickly and efficiently.
The Big Picture
With Nova Find, all the requirements of a modern lost and found system are met: a matter of great public interest is solved in a way that is easily accessible to everyone, while at the same time strengthening trust in public institutions and increasing their efficiency, transparency, and digitalization. The software solution automatically matches every reported loss with all available found reports using advanced search technology. This results in high return rates, simplified management of lost and found items, reduced communication costs, shorter retention periods, and lower storage expenses. In addition, every search takes all relevant legal aspects into account – even requests for the deletion of sensitive information in accordance with GDPR can be handled with just a few clicks. Relevant notifications are also generated automatically and sent out on time, making the process significantly more efficient not only within each participating country but also across borders.
