i3 - January/February 2017 - 55

Policy
T EC H H U B

Eureka Park At CES 2017

t's that time of year again, where the best of the best
converge in Las Vegas at CES 2017 to show off the latest
in consumer technology. As one of the most unique destinations on the show floor, Eureka Park provides startups
and entrepreneurs a special opportunity to launch a new product,
service or idea making it the greatest tech hub of them all.

Keep Calm and Innovate
Eureka Park is sponsored by Arlington
Economic Development (AED) and
Indiegogo. AED, based in Arlington, VA,
the home of CTA, is providing the Eureka
Park Lounge as a place on the show floor
to recharge, refuel and relax. "More than
likely, if you're a consumer tech nerd (or
want to be) then CES feels like home.
Eureka Park is the center of the startup
nation at CES," says Christina Winn,
director of AED's business investment
group. "Being at the center of new
consumer products and the energy that
comes with companies and entrepreneurs
that are excited about their innovations
is a unique experience. The number of
exhibitors in Eureka Park and the global
representation alone make it an unforgettable experience."
Indiegogo is the place for entrepreneurial projects to move quickly from
concept to market, and their exhibit is in
the middle of Eureka Park full of campaigners, partners and cofounding experts
to help startups every step of the way.

The Final Word
Christina Winn, AED:

"The opportunity to see an
immense diversity of companies, both small and large is an
amazing perk at CES. It is one
of the only conferences where
everyone comes together to
share new technologies, best
practices and learn what the
next big thing might be."
C TA . t e c h / i 3

ARLINGTON COUNTY
AT EUREKA PARK

Arlington Economic Development
is hosting an invite-only reception for
entrepreneurs at CES and will
be launching a new initiative to
support a startup's growth, giving
them the best resources they
need to get off the ground. To learn
more, connect with AED at CES
in Eureka Park (Booth #50241).

"Not only can we introduce entrepreneurs
to the resources that can best help them
create, manufacture and deliver their
products, we can also celebrate some of
the campaigners that have found amazing
success on Indiegogo," says Indiegogo's
Erica Labovitz.

Worth Every Second
Eureka Park is worth making the trek
to the Sands to immerse yourself in the
energy of all the bright minds exhibiting.

"Walking the exhibit hall in Eureka
Park and seeing all that CES has to offer
can be overwhelming at first. In fact,
planning to meet specific companies and
planning time to spend in certain areas
of the exhibit hall can be helpful, but
leave room for serendipity," says Winn.
"We've had staffers literally walk into
a few celebrities and CEOs of major
companies and those connections have
been memorable and useful."
Labovitz adds, "Don't try to rush
through and see everything. Instead
take your time to get the most out of
the conversations you do have."

Trends
What is there to look forward to in Eureka
Park at CES 2017? Half of the excitement
is not knowing what you're about to
see, but there have been trends lately
with wearables and "smart" everything.
"We have noticed a significant trend in
the wearable technology market having
significant applications in the military,"
explains Winn. "Additionally, being in
a very transit-oriented community that
offers every mode you can imagine, we
have seen an increase of transportation
related products, from smart bike locks
to real-time transportation displays and
everything in between."
You never know what you might
discover exploring the creative companies
sprawled in Eureka Park. "Take some time
to wander around, because you will
definitely see something that surprises
you," says Labovitz. ■

Erica Labovitz,
Indiegogo:
"Most small companies can't
afford to exhibit at large conferences, and Eureka Park gives
them that opportunity. It's a great
place for startups to learn from
each other, and have a centralized place to discover resources
that can help them grow and
scale. It's also just a fun space
to see how people are pursuing
what they are passionate about."
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/ https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com/ https://www.indiegogo.com http://cta.tech/i3

i3 - January/February 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i3 - January/February 2017