At the epicentre of FTE Global 2025 – the “CES of Aviation” taking place in Long Beach, California, on 9 to 11 September – will be the region’s largest and most respected innovation competition: the FTE Americas Innovate Awards. Recognised as the industry’s definitive platform for showcasing transformative ideas, the awards see airlines, airports, and vendors present pioneering initiatives that are reshaping the future of travel.
We are delighted to reveal the shortlist for this year’s competition – Alaska Airlines, Air Canada, Pittsburgh International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, BagCheck & Brock Solutions, Journey Robotics, RozieAI, DataArt, and Cignal – with finalists set to pitch their concepts live on stage before a judging panel and audience whose votes will decide the winners.
View the full FTE Global 2025 schedule at a glance >> Register for FTE Global 2025 >>Most Innovative Airport Initiative shortlist
Pittsburgh International Airport’s Formica ProtoFab mapping tool
Pittsburgh International Airport – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is shortlisted for its collaboration with Formica ProtoFab, born out of the FTE Aviation & Robotics Summit. The partnership developed and tested a GPS-enabled mapping tool for ground vehicles, providing real-time data on de-icer usage, fluid distribution, and operational patterns. Tested through PIT’s xBridge innovation hub, the tool improves operational efficiency, compliance, and maintenance, demonstrating the tangible benefits of airport-tech industry collaboration.
Tampa International Airport’s LiDAR landside transformation
Tampa International Airport – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is shortlisted for its deployment of advanced LiDAR technology across curbsides, roadways, and parking facilities. This privacy-safe, high-resolution 3D mapping enables real-time traffic analytics, hazard detection, and curbside optimisation, reducing congestion, enhancing safety, and supporting sustainability goals. By creating a live “digital twin” of its landside infrastructure, TPA is redefining smart airport design.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s RapidPrint program
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is shortlisted for RapidPrint, an in-house 3D printing program that rapidly prototypes and deploys solutions to operational challenges. From custom adapters that cut restroom soap costs by 900%, to modular stanchion signage, historic lamp post LED retrofits, and HVAC parts that extend equipment life, RapidPrint delivers cost savings, boosts sustainability, and enables rapid innovation without lengthy procurement cycles.
Hear more from Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) at FTE Global – the “CES of Aviation” taking place in Long Beach, California, on 9 to 11 September 2025. Goutam Kundu, EVP and Chief Information and Digital Strategy Officer, MWAA, is participating in ‘The FTE AI Symposium – Part 2: A deep-dive into Agentic AI and the move towards Artificial General Intelligence’. Meanwhile, Christian Kessler, Airports Transformation & Innovation Division Manager, MWAA, is participating in a session titled ‘Pilot stories: What are hard lessons learned, and secrets, to a successful innovation journey?’
View the full FTE Global 2025 schedule at a glance >> Register for FTE Global 2025 >>Most Innovative Airline Initiative shortlist
Alaska Airlines’ Smart Ramp program
Alaska Airlines is shortlisted for its industry-leading Smart Ramp program, which transforms baggage handling and ramp operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport through AI computer vision, automated bag dispatch, and emerging robotics. By creating a “world-view” of ramp activity and simulating operations with a Digital Twin, the program enables proactive problem-solving, efficient routing for ramp agents, and more sustainable use of equipment – driving safety, efficiency, and on-time baggage delivery in one of the world’s most space-constrained airport environments.
Hear more from Alaska Airlines at FTE Global – the “CES of Aviation” taking place in Long Beach, California, on 9 to 11 September 2025. Natalie Randall, Day of Travel Experience Manager, Alaska Airlines, is participating in ‘The APEX/FTE Accessibility Symposium – let’s go above and beyond what is required’. Nicole Hodges-Austin, Innovation Program Manager, Alaska Airlines, is speaking in a session titled ‘Pilot stories: What are hard lessons learned, and secrets, to a successful innovation journey?’ Meanwhile, Gus Naughton, Principal Software Engineer – Innovation, Alaska Airlines, is participating in two sessions. Naughton will deliver a joint presentation alongside Kellen Schroeter, CEO & Co-Founder, Pattern Labs, titled ‘What is the in-depth story behind Alaksa Airlines becoming the first airline to automate dispatch on the ramp with AI?’ He is also speaking in a session titled ‘How do we now revolutionise the gate and boarding experience, and other key airport pinch-points?’
View the full FTE Global 2025 schedule at a glance >> Register for FTE Global 2025 >>Air Canada’s Clean Gate initiative
Air Canada is shortlisted for its Clean Gate project, a cornerstone of its Airports 2030 transformation strategy. Clean Gate automates the entire gate process – from biometric self-boarding and document validation to seating changes and disruption management – eliminating manual, system-based transactions. Integrated into the Air Canada app, these innovations free agents from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on personalised service, while giving customers greater autonomy and a seamless boarding experience.
Best New Transformative Concept shortlist
BagCheck & Brock Solutions’ SmartClear IRBS
BagCheck and Brock Solutions – Strategic Partners of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group – are shortlisted for SmartClear IRBS, a transformative International Remote Baggage Screening solution enabling US CBP to clear bags before arrival into the United States. Now live at Sydney and Heathrow for American Airlines flights to Dallas/Fort Worth, SmartClear IRBS removes the need for passengers to reclaim and recheck bags when connecting domestically. By streamlining the process, it delivers major efficiency, security, and customer experience benefits, and is paving the way for the DHS One-Stop Security programme.
Journey Robotics’ automated baggage handling solution
Journey Robotics – a Partner of the FTE Baggage Innovation Working Group – is shortlisted for its fully automated baggage handling solution, which integrates with existing infrastructure to load and unload baggage carts and ULDs with precision and speed. Capable of handling bags up to 32kg at eight per minute, the system reduces manual workload, lowers injury risk, improves throughput, and enhances bag flow reliability. By eliminating one of the most physically demanding airport tasks, it boosts efficiency, safety, and sustainability without costly retrofits.
RozieAI Journey’s AI platform
RozieAI is shortlisted for its Journey platform – an AI-powered orchestration and assistance solution that delivers personalised, proactive guidance to travellers across their entire journey. Already powering Air Canada’s end-to-end day-of-travel experience, the platform uses real-time data to provide relevant updates, automate support tasks, and present timely ancillary offers. This reduces contact centre load, increases revenue opportunities, and gives passengers a simpler, more confident travel experience.
DataArt’s AI Lake Accelerator (AILA)
DataArt – a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub – is shortlisted for its AI Lake Accelerator (AILA), a modular, cloud-native framework that unifies siloed airline and airport data into an AI-ready environment. Deployed across multiple aviation projects, AILA powers intelligent, task-specific AI agents that accelerate solution delivery by up to 90%, improve operational efficiency, and enhance decision-making. By transforming fragmented data into real-time intelligence, AILA enables more predictive, automated, and passenger-focused operations.
DataArt is exhibiting at FTE Global – the “CES of Aviation” taking place in Long Beach, California, on 9 to 11 September 2025. Co-located once again with APEX/IFSA Global EXPO, it will be the largest and most influential gathering of air transport executives in North America in 2025, seamlessly blending insights from the airport and inflight worlds under one roof.
View the full FTE Global 2025 schedule at a glance >> Register for FTE Global 2025 >>Cignal’s synthetic checkpoint data platform
Cignal is shortlisted for its patented synthetic checkpoint data platform, which generates high-fidelity, fully labelled images – from X-ray and CT scans to millimetre wave outputs – in seconds. This privacy-safe, prompt-to-image technology allows unlimited training and testing scenarios, strengthens AI screening models, improves screener readiness, and accelerates system development. By enabling proactive security capabilities, it transforms the way next-generation screening solutions are developed and deployed.
Meet our judging panel
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