Funds to Accelerate High-Tech Solutions and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Air Travel
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., February 15, 2024 – Southwest Airlines® has committed $100,000 to the Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship, or FLITE, to further fuel innovation in the aviation industry. FLITE is one of the first airport-based initiatives of its kind to provide grants and pilot-testing opportunities to companies focused on bringing emerging air travel technology solutions to market.
“We are grateful to have Southwest Airlines’ partnership in revolutionizing the future of aviation through FLITE,” said Tory Richardson, President and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “With the support of instrumental partners like Southwest, FLITE has proven to be an integral part of innovation, providing companies with access to a live environment for testing. We look forward to the continued success and advancement of the FLITE program.”
Southwest® has been a partner of FLITE since the program first launched in 2022 and has contributed to shaping its direction and goals. The airline has provided critical insights to startups working toward market readiness and identified key areas within the aviation ecosystem ripe for technological advancement. Their recent financial sponsorship of FLITE will further advance the program’s mission of developing companies pioneering technologies in the aviation mobility space.
”Southwest is always looking for opportunities to get in on the ground floor of aviation innovation,” said Kevin Kleist, Sr. Emerging Trends Advisor at Southwest Airlines. “Aviation, like all industries, is undergoing rapid change and FLITE is helping to identify solutions for the evolving environment.”
FLITE's ecosystem also benefits from partnerships with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Seamless Ventures and the West Michigan Aviation Academy.
To date, FLITE has supported 19 companies, awarding more than $750,000 in total grant funds across five rounds. The program focuses on five core areas for technological advancement:
Automation & Analytics: Improving operational efficiency and optimization of workforce and other resources through automation and analysis of data.
For more information on sponsorship and partnership opportunities for FLITE, visit FlyFord.org/FLITE.
2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport Report of Achievement
Giving back to the community is central to what Charlotte Douglas International Airport and its operator, the City of Charlotte Aviation Department, is about, and last year was no different.
Throughout 2022, while recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued our efforts to have a positive impact on the Charlotte community. Of particular note, we spent the year sharing stories of how Connections Don't Just Happen at the Terminal - from creating homeownership and employment opportunities to supporting economic growth through small-business development and offering outreach programs to help residents understand the Airport better.
This whitepaper highlights the construction projects, initiatives, programs and events that validate Charlotte Douglas as a premier airport.
Download the whitepaper: 2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport Report of Achievement.