That’s a wrap on Accelarate 2026. Earlier this month, government leaders, partners, and Accela team members gathered in New Orleans to connect with peers, see what’s new across the Accela platform, and take back ideas to apply in their communities.
The theme of the week was simple: Connect, Innovate, Accelarate. Here’s a look back at the moments that defined it.
At a glance
- Accelarate 2026 brought Accela customers and partners to New Orleans under the theme Connect, Innovate, Accelarate.
- Noam Reininger discussed Civic Velocity: an end-to-end platform, unified data, and CivicAI across the platform.
- Attendees chose from more than 100 concurrent sessions, many led by agency staff.
- The Trendsetter Awards recognized agencies leading the way in serving residents.
- Jon Dorenbos closed the week with the final keynote.
Day one: a vision for civic velocity
Tuesday’s opening general session set the tone for the week. Accela CEO Noam Reininger opened by naming what many agency leaders are feeling right now: gridlocked. Rising resident expectations, tighter budgets, and growing workloads are pulling teams in every direction.
Noam’s answer was Civic Velocity, the idea that government can move at the pace residents expect. He walked through three phases of how Accela is helping agencies get there:
- An end-to-end platform that connects permitting, licensing, and asset management, along with tools like OpenCounter, SecurePay, and ePermitHub.
- Unified data and KPIs so leaders can see where work is moving, where it’s stuck, and how to improve it over time.
- CivicAI across the platform, including CiviraAI, with governance and safety built in from the start.
Next, Noelle Russell, founder and CEO of the AI Leadership Institute, took the stage for a keynote on the future of AI.
Accela Chief Product Officer Amber D’Ottavio then brought the vision to life by showing an ordinary Tuesday inside a local government. Through four demos, attendees saw how the platform supports a resident applying for an ADU, a permit technician working the back office, a pothole report moving from resident to crew, and a capital planning team prioritizing projects. The segment closed with a look at CiviraAI in action and what’s ahead on the roadmap.
Customer panel: from pressure to progress
The morning wrapped with a customer panel moderated by Jonathan Knight, Accela’s Chief Operating Officer. Bob Leek, Chief Information Officer of Clark County, Nevada, Nidia Logan-Robinson, Deputy Director, Memphis and Shelby County, Division of Planning and Development, and Reginald Cox, Chief Building Official of Westin, Florida, shared how their teams are tackling their biggest challenges, doing more with less, and planning for what comes next with AI.
Learning from peers and getting hands-on
Between general sessions, attendees spread across more than 100 concurrent sessions, many led by agency staff sharing what’s working in their own communities. Sessions covered permitting, licensing, asset management, and more.
The Innovation Hub gave attendees a hands-on look at new capabilities and a chance to share feedback directly with Accela’s product and design teams. Over in the Expo, attendees connected with partners and sponsors, got answers at the Customer Support and Success desks, picked up new skills through Accela|U training, and stopped by StudioPod to get a professional headshot.
Day two: giving back, celebrating, and Accelabration!
Wednesday started with purpose. Attendees who joined Gov for Good kicked off the day with a wellness event benefiting Nolavate Black, with every dollar from the add-on going to charity.
At the Trendsetter Awards Luncheon, Accela recognized agencies leading the way in serving their residents. Congratulations to this year’s honorees:
Agency awards
- Next Generation Economic Development: City of Tampa, Florida, Construction Services Division
- Ultimate Citizen Experience: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Department of Building and Housing
- Data Innovation: City of Stockton, California, Community Development Department
- Good Governance: City of Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee (Develop901)
Individual awards
- Civic Voice: Eric Landon, Growth Management Director, Citrus County, Florida (Jeffrey Reese accepted on his behalf)
- Local Leader: Lavanya Premkumar, Business Support Manager, Development Services, Pasco County, Florida
- Building Communities: Carolyn Patrick, Chief Information Officer, City of El Paso, Texas
- Lifetime Achievement: Linda Liu, IT Business Systems Manager, Santa Barbara County, California
That evening, the celebration was led to The Fillmore for Accelabration! by a Second line. The Spin Doctors headlined a night of music, food, and New Orleans energy.
Day three: closing on a high note
Thursday’s closing general session opened with a highlight reel from the week before Noam returned to the stage. He circled back to the promise he made on Tuesday: attendees would see what Accela has built, hear from peers doing this work right now, and leave with ideas to use back home.
Then Noam introduced the week’s final speaker, Jon Dorenbos. A 14-year NFL veteran, two-time Pro Bowler, magician, and author of Life Is Magic, Jon closed Accelarate 2026, leaving attendees uplifted and inspired.
And thank you to every agency leader, partner, sponsor, and speaker who made Accelarate 2026 possible!
