American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) President and CEO Todd Hauptli announced last week the establishment of the AAAE Airport Innovation Accelerator to help drive greater innovation for the benefit of the airport industry by directly assisting qualified companies in speeding the process of bringing their technology and services to the airport marketplace. The creation of the Airport Innovation Accelerator was unanimously approved by the AAAE Board of Directors at its most recent meeting earlier this month.
“The AAAE team has a demonstrated record in delivering service, innovation and results to airport executives and the aviation industry,” Hauptli said. “The Airport Innovation Accelerator builds upon that heritage and represents an important enhancement aimed at serving our members and those who are eager to provide solutions in the airport environment.”
The Accelerator will focus on assisting emerging companies as well as established companies new to the aviation space or with new, innovative ideas. The assistance of the Airport Innovation Accelerator will serve critical needs for interested companies, but also engage AAAE members in providing assistance, guidance and expertise that will in turn lead to better products and services in the airport marketplace.
Accelerator partner companies will be evaluated based upon a series of criteria including:
• Business Potential – includes quality of business strategy, preliminary assessment of technology or product being proposed, clarity of market focus, assessment of competition and other business factors.
• Airport Industry Merit and Commercial Viability – based upon company descriptions of airport business merit and likely commercial viability addressing likely airport market opportunities as evaluated by the Accelerator team.
• Quality of Management Team – business and/or technical experience related to the focus of the business.
• Potential Impact on the Airport Industry – includes contribution to the development of the aviation sector generally, likely commercialization of technology, as well as likely benefit to AAAE members, their tenants and the traveling public.
• Ability to Utilize Accelerator Services – Accelerator needs and the Accelerator’s potential ability to assist the business.
AAAE expects the Accelerator to begin operation in Q2 2015.
