Congregate aims to solve the biggest challenges of the travel & hospitality industry
Congregate is a challenge-based accelerator
A "challenge-based” accelerator means that we will work with companies on the main challenges that are currently barriers to safe and resilient recovery from the pandemic. These challenges were identified through extensive engagement with the tourism and hospitality industries.
While most accelerators focus on helping companies find product-market fit, the Congregate model identifies the industry needs from relevant stakeholders, and connects them to potential customers for pilot projects. Congregate and Moonbeam staff conduct thorough conversation with the extensive PNWER network and the Congregate Industry Council to determine the most pressing needs of the industry. Based on these needs, the challenges for each cohort are released, and used as a framework for recruiting both startups and their potential industry partners.
Industry Challenges for cohort two
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Business Travel Recovery
As the global COVID-19 Pandemic enters its third calendar year, the recovery of the travel and tourism sector lags disproportionately behind the overall economic recovery. The 2021 rollout of vaccines across the US brought the beginning of the recovery process for travel and tourism, but the staggering decrease in business travel from 2019 to 2020 continues to drag recovery down. Even as the domestic leisure travel industry begin to recover, labor shortages are preventing even locations with high demand from maximizing their potential.
Solutions to the business travel challenge could include technological solutions to incentivize in-person conference attendance, retooling hotel and event centers for the new remote worker or collaborations with local industry to get travelers moving again.
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Workforce & Labor Recovery
Businesses across the country have been crippled by the difficulty in the hiring environment. Many northwest companies have started changing their policies, but haven’t explored the technology that could assist them.
Solutions to the workforce issues could range from more accessible trainings, automation, recruitment innovation or even maybe a robot. Congregate’s industry partners are looking to overcome the challenges of the last year and get their businesses back up and running at full capacity.
Partners include: Seattle Seahawks, Argosy Cruises & Alaska Native Heritage Center
Current pilot project opportunities
