CIT launches initiative to bring wearable tech to first responders

The Center for Innovative Technology has launched the EMERGE! acceleration initiative to bring innovative wearable technologies to the first responders community.

Partnering with the Homeland Security Department’s Science and Technology Directorate, CIT is working in support of a broader initiative to engage entrepreneurs in finding innovative ideas that address the needs of the Homeland Security community, the organization said in a release.

So far, CIT has selected two accelerators for the EMERGE! pilot:

• Tech Wildcatters of Dallas, Texas
• TechNexus of Chicago, Ill.

Tech Wildcatters is a business to business seed accelerator with a mentor-driven program focused on high-growth technology startups. TechNexus is a venture collaborative that sits at the intersection of large, incumbent corporations and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, looking to market validate ventures, CIT said in a release.

EMERGE! is open to startups from any part of the United States whose founders can engage in a rigorous mentorship program designed to produce the next generation of innovation in the wearable technology space, CIT said.

The organization is looking for companies that are creating commercial wearable technology that could be adapted for responders.