Startup accelerator focuses on technology innovation to ensure safe reopening and resiliency of tourism in the PNW after Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the Pacific Northwest’s tourism, performing arts, travel, and hospitality (TPATH) industries. The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER), a public/private nonprofit organization, has launched the Congregate Accelerator, a program that brings together industry, government, academia, and innovators to accelerate technological solutions to solve challenges created by the pandemic and help facilitate the safe reopening of the TPATH sectors. The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) has partnered with several other industry leaders to contribute expertise and resources to support the Congregate Accelerator and ensure the continuing resiliency of the PNW’s TPATH industries.

PNWER developed the Congregate Accelerator Program to accelerate innovative solutions that will allow people to congregate while ensuring public health safety and mitigating risks from emerging Covid variants. Technology is a key component of a successful recovery, along with economic growth in the coming years.

The Congregate Accelerator is a 12-week, fully virtual program that is dedicated to finding and incubating potential solutions, piloting these solutions with affected industries, and scaling solutions globally to reopen and bring jobs to the U.S. economy by bringing the expertise of healthcare regulators directly to the innovators. Participants include teams, projects or companies at any stage that aim to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and desire to work more closely with the industries they want to serve. Innovation will continue to be a leading mechanism to move forward from the pandemic, and the Congregate Accelerator Program supports teams and ventures of all sizes.

Addressing Challenges Through Innovation

There are four key challenges facing the TPATH sectors in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic: Immunity verification, Hybrid events, Contactless/Remote Commerce, and Workforce. These challenges were determined through a “listening tour” of the tourism industry, and participants will work closely with Congregate Industry Advisors to address them. 

“The Congregate Accelerator Program offers organizations across the Pacific Northwest funding and partnerships to rapidly develop technology solutions which help our important tourism, performing arts, travel, and hospitality sectors recover from the pandemic,” said Michael Schutzler, CEO, WTIA. “Our region is known for its fast-moving, innovative companies and entrepreneurs, so I encourage all creative technologists across the Pacific Northwest to help our economy recover for the sake of all who live in this beautiful place.”

The program is free for participants, and requires no exchange of equity. However, the Congregate Accelerator does not provide any financial investment in the participating companies. The program is designed to help scale companies with the potential to compete in the global economy.

Partnerships Support Creative Solutions

Along with WTIA, other partners include: Amazon, Microsoft, Alaska Travel Industry Association, Future Border Coalition, and innovation broker Moonbeam Exchange. The program is also supported by Washington and Alaska state and Congressional members.

As such, Congregate Accelerator participants gain access to network and engage with a vast community of elected officials, companies, regulators and industry experts from across the Pacific Northwest who are all looking to solve the unique challenges facing TPATH industries as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The participants will also benefit from future mentorship and business development opportunities. The Congregate Accelerator program runs from Nov. 8, 2021 to Feb. 28, 2022. All participants must be located in or interested in working with partners in Washington or Alaska. 

The inaugural cohort of the Congregate Solutions Accelerator will be working with industry partners over the next 12 weeks to address the four TPATH challenges, and includes the following companies:

For more information about The Congregate Accelerator and how to get involved, visit www.congregate.resiliencefoundry.org. To learn more about how WTIA is collaborating with our partners to make this program a success, contact Nick Ellingson, Startup Ambassador and Director of Products, at nellingson@washingtontechnology.org.