We’re Taking Accelarate 2020 Virtual and Welcoming All Govtech Leaders

The year 2020 is nothing if not an opportunity for companies to think, innovate and deliver products and services differently. Accela has been reimagining how we can connect the influencers and doers in our industry with the needed technology solutions and partnerships that have the ability to buoy our communities, address citizen demands and position governments as leaders in creating the change and guidance we need. For the last several years, our annual industry-leading conference and training event, Accelarate, has served as a hub for our customers and partners to connect in meaningful ways with Accela leadership and product experts. Accelarate 2020 will be no different in that regard, however, I am very pleased to announce that this year we’re taking it a step further and broadening the reach, the audience and the impact. Here’s how… 

Virtual Venue and Location 

Most significantly, Accelarate 2020 will be a 100% virtual conference and training event hosted October 5-9 on an online platform that enables the delivery of rich and engaging content, experiences and discussion.  

From the comfort of your own home or workspace, attendees will be able to access all of the elements that have become hallmarks of Accelarate’s value: 

• Informative and inspiring keynotes from Accela executives and industry thought leaders 
• Quick-moving yet insightful breakout sessions on solutions, trends and product features  
• A bustling Partner Pavilion with booths and product information from dozens of strategic industry partners 
• Access to Accela Experience Center (AEC) for 1:1 product demos, UX testing lab, professional services expertise and Accela U training insights  
• Socializing, networking, fun and entertainment
  

Suffice to say, our virtual event will deliver on the robust conference experience, and then some. 

Who’s Invited 

Also new for 2020, we are opening the doors of the conference to extend beyond Accela customers and partners. For the first time, we are welcoming any state and local government IT leader, CIO, elected official, department head, fire marshal and others in critical government agency roles interested in learning how Accela products can help them move citizen services online, break department siloes, or even learn specifically about dedicated COVID-19 solutions that can be quickly implemented to help their agency ensure business continuity, maintain revenue streams and manage the process of reopening services safely. 

Our Themes 

For years, Accela has understood the secret sauce that makes communities thrive – it starts with a technology provider that speaks the language of its customers, understands the unique needs of how government agencies work, and anticipates what their customers’ constituents will soon be demanding of them. It hinges on partnership, communication and a commitment to the future. We have been honored to partner with cities, counties, and states across the globe who understand the power of this equation. At Accelarate 2020, we will be talking about 4 key themes that we feel are the foundation of reimagining government success into the future:  

• Transformation – the ability of government to adapt quickly and digitally execute  
• Trust – how public-private partnerships are here to stay and needed to continue bolstering government:citizen engagement and satisfaction  
• Technology – the power of the cloud to speed rapid implementation and deliver data and information to influence decisions  
• Our Customers – civic champions who, throughout this pandemic and before, have been called on to pivot in inspirational and impactful ways 
  

The Agenda 

Our conference agenda will look a little different from years past as well, offering two days of our regular conference programming and three days of training. Sprinkled in the week will also be multiple networking opportunities, dedicated events for our Partners and Customer Advisory Board, and an Awards Party to celebrate our customer ‘Civic Heroes’ and ‘Accelerators’. Here is a snapshot of the week.  

Call for Presentations Now Open 

If you are an Accela customer or partner, you are invited to submit an idea for presenting in one of our Accelarate 2020 Breakout Sessions. Our Call for Presentations opened last week and we’d love to hear your ideas. These sessions are opportunities for you to share some of the innovative ways you leverage Accela solutions to address an internal process, navigate a regulatory challenge, or improve the citizen experience in your community.  
 
To get the idea factory turning, here are a few topics we suggest you could focus on:  

• Citizen Engagement 
• Data and Analytics 
• Using the Civic Platform for COVID-19 Response 
• Cloud Readiness and Migration from On-prem 
• Accela Tips, Tricks and Best Practices
  

You can learn more about what we’re looking for and submit your idea between now and July 24th, which is our deadline for submissions, so don’t put this off if you’re interested.