We launched Sigmund one year ago today.

Since then...

• TheSigmundProject.org has received 50,000+ visitors from over 108 countries.

• The Sigmund team has hosted 64 mentor calls with entrepreneurs from across the globe.

• 223 ideas have been presented that aim to advance travel and tourism for good. 

Thank you for being an integral part of The Sigmund Project. 

We invite you to browse OPEN · SOURCE and see how you can help Sigmund's community of entrepreneurs take their inspiring ideas to the next level.

- Team Sigmund

What’s your BIG (or small) idea to transform travel and tourism?

Do you know someone who could benefit from Sigmund?

Latest ideas submitted on Sigmund’s OPEN SOURCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEWS RELEASE

TheSigmundProject.org Celebrates Year One with 50,000+ Visitors from Over 110 Countries 

June 2022 — The Sigmund Project is travel & tourism’s first digital not-for-profit dedicated to supporting innovation through the power of collaboration.

Since Sigmund’s launch in June 2021…

• TheSigmundProject.org has received 50,000+ visitors from over 110 countries.

• The Sigmund team has hosted 64 mentor calls with entrepreneurs from across the globe.

• 223 ideas have been presented that aim to advance travel and tourism for good. 

In the last twelve months, The Sigmund Project’s small yet mighty team has created the first-of-its-kind, open-source platform for entrepreneurs in travel & tourism. TheSigmundProject.org connects these entrepreneurs with collaborators from around the world who can help them take their ideas to the next level (ie. scale, pivot, attract new users, build tech, hire, etc.). 

Reflecting on it’s first year, the founder of The Sigmund Project, Alan Elliott Merschen said, “Thank you all that have visited our site and to the 8,500+ tourism professionals who have joined The Sigmund Collective… so far. You are an integral part of ‘The SigmundVerse’, and we thank you for your openness to collaborate for a better tomorrow. For anyone interested in helping entrepreneurs in travel take their ideas to the next level, we invite you to browse the OPEN · SOURCE platform and see how you can lend your expertise. Let’s see what’s possible.”

In seeking out new ideas to transform the tourism industry, Sigmund is guided by the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals and encourages its entrepreneurs to align their business with these important indicators. Sigmund is interested in business ideas that have a triple bottom line. It's always in search of the next socially minded, environmentally conscious, and fiscally sound idea to transform tourism.

Sigmund champions ideas from sustainability to DEI to accessibility. Examples of ideas presented in these categories include Alison's Idea - A new booking platform called GoKinda that curates stylish, accessible, and conscious hotels that have a positive impact on people and the planet, Danny's Idea- Building a more diverse pipeline of industry professionals through an early career program for underrepresented youth and Muthuri's Idea- Kenya's first accessible travel brand and PLWD dedicated mobility solutions.

Sigmund believes entrepreneurs like these are the future of travel and tourism. By offering a helping hand, they are unlocking the potential of the global tourism industry in their own (albeit small) yet mighty way.  

More at https://thesigmundproject.org/open-source 

About The Sigmund ProjectSigmund helps organizations find their intersection of doing well and doing good. Sigmund is fully funded by private grants and asks for no funds from anyone. It's completely partnership agnostic, free to use, and dedicated to the cause of advancing the global travel industry for good through untapped entrepreneurs who just need a helping hand to get going and start changing the world.  Learn more at www.thesigmundproject.org    

 About Sigmund's University Alliance NetworkAnother key strength of Sigmund is its university alliance network. Sigmund has formalized collaborations with academic institutions from all over the world, including NYU’s Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality. Alliance institutions invite their students to solve the business challenges presented on Sigmund’s platform in the form of class projects, case studies, etc. Sigmund sees the academic world as an untapped opportunity for the tourism industry–especially when it comes to supporting budding entrepreneurs in the space. Learn more at https://thesigmundproject.org/the-looking-forward-blog/the-nyu-school-of-professional-studies-jonathan-m-tisch-center-of-hospitality 

About Sigmund's 14-Minute Mentor Call ProgramFinding the intersection of high-tech and high-touch, Sigmund offers a 14-minute mentor call to every person who submits their idea on Sigmund's OPEN · SOURCE. Being an innovator, especially in the travel and tourism industry, can feel daunting and at times lonely. In a world full of high-tech solutions, Sigmund’s 14-min mentor calls are a hi-touch way to foster human connection, motivate these innovators to keep going, and brainstorm ways together that they can overcome the most pressing challenge they are facing. They've had more than 60 calls since June 2021, and every conversation has been transformational and inspirational in its own right. Here is some feedback Sigmund has received to date:

• Thank you for your willingness to help my small but growing business. - Amina M.

• Great ideas, resources, and connections! What an incredibly fruitful ‘14-minutes’. - Henry R.

• That was so fun! Your advice was spot on and I found it invigorating!” - Michelle B.

• Wow, thanks a million. Didn’t expect that much to come from a 14-minute call! - Peter M.

Learn more at https://thesigmundproject.org/resources 

Resources for Media https://thesigmundproject.org/media-center 

Media Contact Ally LaBriola, Director hello at sgmnd dot org