A new nonprofit program dedicated to preparing the future leaders of the city of Houston's is launching with the city's burgeoning innovation ecosystem in mind.

HTXelerator is a three-month program that trains its group of aspiring politicians on the nuts and bolts of city government. The program — designed to be similar to a tech accelerator — will launch out of The Cannon Downtown and The Ion in September.

The idea to link the program with the startup and innovation community is intentional, says Randy Romman, executive director. Co-located with The Cannon and The Ion, Romman says he hopes the accelerator provides an opportunity for collisions between politics and innovation.

"Houston, in particular, needs more tech dollars and more people aware of tech dollars," he tells InnovationMap. "That's why we wanted this in The Cannon and The Ion — so that those people can sit in on these classes and participate. Our topics range from land use to economic development, transportation, and more. And hopefully these future leaders can learn something from the tech world."

Similar to a tech accelerator, the program concludes with a competition known as The Pitch, which enables each participant to put forward a policy platform for a hypothetical race.

"We have a competition that really prepares you to run for office — that's a little different from the other programs out there," Romman explains.

The accelerator, which is priced at $195 — a cost that is intentionally low to ensure accessibility, diversity, and equal representation, will prepare leaders for public service, specifically boards, commissions, and eventually city council, according to a press release from the program.

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