Virginia's Center for Innovative Technology is teaming up with the Department of Homeland Security to create a new business accelerator program for creating wearable technology for first responders.
The EMERGE! program is designed to help business accelerators find entrepreneurs with ideas for wearable technology useful to first responders, whether federal law enforcement or local police, EMTs and firefighters. Putting advanced sensors, communication and other electronics into equipment that they can wear on the job could be a major boon for them.
“First responders can benefit from these new emerging technologies, to not only ensure their personal safety, but to better save the lives of those they serve,” said DHS deputy under secretary for science and technology Robert Griffin, a former firefighter himself, in a statement. “There may be innovators who have ideas for the latest scientific advancements that can make a difference in helping these first responders.”
The DHS has been working to get startups and entrepreneurs involved in offering advanced technology to DHS agents for a while, and the new accelerator is part of that. Repurposing commercial wearable technology for first responders could be a very lucrative venture for the right entrepreneurs.
“CIT is honored to partner with DHS S&T to use new methods and ideas that deliver innovative solutions to help them meet their security mission,” said Pete Jobse, president of CIT in a statement. “This program will bring the best innovations into government, while helping emerging startups find new markets to sell products.”
CIT picked the Tech Wildcatters and TechNexus accelerators to kick off the new program. Tech WildCatters is based in Dallas and offers a seed accelerator program as well as a partnership with Wearable World, an important Internet of Things organization. Chicago-based TechNexus is more of a venture collaboration, offering a lot of partnerships with bigger corporations.
“We are especially excited about this opportunity because DHS, like many of our corporate partners, recognizes the need to innovate and change at scale,” said Terry Howerton, CEO of TechNexus. “The most effective way for corporations and governments to harness innovation and redefine R&D is through engagement with the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We're looking forward to applying this collaborative venture development model to a partnership with CIT and DHS.”
