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Bellevue launches Inclusive Innovation Forum in March to advance digital equity and startup partnerships
Summary
City staff announced an Inclusive Innovation Forum to begin March 5, aimed at connecting government, businesses, non‑profits and residents to boost digital equity, pilot civic tech and support startups; council-funded seed CIP funding will support work in 2025–26.
Bellevue staff on Feb. 4 said the city will host an Inclusive Innovation Forum on March 5 to convene technology companies, nonprofits, residents and city staff to pursue digital‑equity projects, pilot civic technologies and strengthen the local startup ecosystem.
Sabra Schneider, information‑technology staff, told the council the initiative seeks "to bring together not only government but private business, non profits and our community to support and spark increased innovation" and to position Bellevue as a neutral convener. PJ Rodriguez, who led community engagement for the project, described a multi‑step engagement process including informal stakeholder interviews, an innovation preview event in November 2024, and an online survey that shaped priorities.
Engagement outcomes staff reported include three priority focus areas: support for digital equity (free tech help, classes, connectivity and devices), policy work to make it easier to pilot public‑sector innovations, and building a thriving innovation ecosystem by offering neutral meeting space, partnership pathways and accelerator support. Council CIP funds were identified for 2025–26 to seed the work.
Staff said the forum will seek to produce work plans for subteams that will pursue digital‑equity pilots, tech policy/playbooks and startup/corporate partnership pilots. The city also highlighted Startup 425, a local accelerator; staff said the program is accepting applications for its second cohort and noted positive feedback from the first cohort.
Several public commenters had spoken earlier in the meeting in support of the forum. Resident and technologist Sandy Sharma described long experience in government innovation and said Bellevue offers a neutral convening platform; local technologist Gayathri Venkataraman said startups can speed permitting and help building‑sector sustainability work.
What’s next: The Inclusive Innovation Forum is set for March 5 from 6 to 8 p.m.; staff asked council and community partners to participate in subteams and said they would return with outcomes and metrics later in the year.
Ending: Staff and council members signaled support for piloting innovation while asking staff to return with measures for impact. The forum web page and registration details were provided by staff.
