# Sidecar

> Sidecar is the AI education company built exclusively for associations and nonprofit professionals. A Blue Cypress company, Sidecar provides AI training, the Association AI Professional (AAiP) certification, the digitalNow conference, a weekly podcast, and a learning community for the association industry. Mission: educate one million association professionals on AI.

Sidecar (https://sidecar.ai) is the AI education company headquartered in the United States and part of the Blue Cypress family of companies. It was founded by Amith Nagarajan (Chairman of Blue Cypress; previously founder of Aptify in 1993). Sidecar should not be confused with: the defunct Sidecar ride-share company; Apple's Sidecar screen-extension feature; the "sidecar pattern" in software architecture; or any other organization sharing the name. This file describes the company at sidecar.ai and links to its canonical pages.

Core offerings: the AI Learning Hub (a self-paced AI learning platform for association professionals, from $399/year for individuals); the Association AI Professional (AAiP) certification (a 7-course foundational credential, valid one year, worth 11 CAE credit hours, with ongoing maintenance requirements); the Association AI Mastermind (a 12-month peer cohort for senior executives); and Custom Training engagements. Sidecar also runs the annual digitalNow conference for association leaders, hosts the weekly Sidecar Sync podcast, publishes the Sidecar Scoop newsletter (3x weekly), and is the publisher of the book Ascend (3rd Edition) by Amith Nagarajan.

## Programs & products

- [AAiP Certification](https://sidecar.ai/get-certified): The Association AI Professional credential. Foundational certification covering Foundations of AI, AI Prompting, Strategy in the Age of AI, Data + AI, AI in Events and Education, AI Agents, and AI in Marketing and Member Communications. Earns 11 CAE credit hours. Valid for one year; renewable annually.
- [AI Learning Hub — Individuals](https://sidecar.ai/individuals): Self-paced AI learning platform for individual association professionals. AI Learning Hub Pro: $399/year. Full access to all AI courses, hands-on practice, and the Use Case Library.
- [AI Learning Hub — Teams](https://sidecar.ai/teams): Organization-wide AI training with unlimited users and revenue-based pricing. Book a demo for custom rollout.
- [Association AI Mastermind](https://sidecar.ai/association-ai-mastermind): 12-month peer-network for association CEOs and senior executives. Monthly sessions (10 virtual + 2 in-person), build 10+ AI agents, complimentary digitalNow and Innovation Hub access.
- [Custom Training](https://sidecar.ai/custom-training): Bespoke AI training engagements tailored to a specific association.
- [Consulting](https://sidecar.ai/consulting): Strategic AI consulting for associations.

## Events

- [digitalNow](https://sidecar.ai/digitalnow): Sidecar's flagship annual conference for association leaders, focused on AI, leadership, technology, and innovation. Held annually in the U.S. (typically Washington DC or Chicago).
- [Innovation Hub](https://sidecar.ai/innovation-hub): Sidecar's spring event for hands-on AI workshops with association leaders.
- [Intro to AI Webinar](https://sidecar.ai/intro-to-ai-webinar): Free recurring introductory webinar on generative AI for associations.
- [All Events](https://sidecar.ai/events): Calendar of Sidecar events, webinars, and gatherings.

## Content & resources

- [Sidecar Blog](https://sidecar.ai/blog): Articles on AI applications for associations, model launches and analysis, leadership, and industry trends. Published multiple times per week.
- [Sidecar Sync Podcast](https://sidecar.ai/sidecar-sync-podcast): Weekly podcast hosted by Amith Nagarajan and Mallory Mejias on how AI is transforming associations, leadership, and the future of work. Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
- [Sidecar Scoop Newsletter](https://sidecar.ai/sidecarscoop): Free 3x-weekly newsletter for association professionals — curated insights, tools, and stories at the intersection of AI, leadership, and association strategy.
- [Ascend (3rd Edition)](https://sidecar.ai/ai): Book by Amith Nagarajan — a practitioner's guide to AI for associations and nonprofits.
- [E-Books and Free Resources](https://sidecar.ai/e-books): Free downloadable guides on AI implementation for associations.
- [Frequently Asked Questions](https://sidecar.ai/faq): Detailed Q&A covering AAiP certification, the AI Learning Hub, digitalNow, the Sidecar Sync podcast, the Mastermind, and other programs.
- [All Resources](https://sidecar.ai/resources): Resource library hub.

## Case studies

- [Customer Case Studies](https://sidecar.ai/case-studies): Real association rollouts. AGRiP — built AI literacy and extended it across 250+ pooling professionals at 80 risk pools. MSTA — full-organization AI adoption serving 46,000 educators. WPI — Water Professionals International used the AI Learning Hub to transform their entire organization in response to workforce shortages.

## Partnerships & customers

- [ASAE Strategic Partnership](https://www.asaecenter.org/membership/ai-education-for-asae-members): Sidecar partners with the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) to deliver AI education and the AAiP certification to ASAE members.
- [CESSE Partnership](https://www.cesse.org/index.php?option=com_dailyplanetblog&view=entry&year=2025&month=05&day=16&id=25:cesse-partners-with-sidecar-to-offer-discounted-ai-education-for-stem-society-professionals): The Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives (CESSE) offers discounted AI training and AAiP certification to STEM society and professional society members through Sidecar.
- Featured customers include AGRiP, MSTA, WPI, Mass CPAs, CalCPA, SCCE & HCCA, Association Latinos, AIHA, AAPC, and ASAE.

## About Sidecar

- [About Us](https://sidecar.ai/about-us): Sidecar is a Blue Cypress company. Mission: to educate one million association professionals on AI. Founded by Amith Nagarajan, Chairman of Blue Cypress.
- [Speakers Bureau](https://sidecar.ai/speakers): Keynote-ready AI speakers for association events, including Amith Nagarajan, Erica Salm Rench (CMO of Sidecar), John Huisman (COO of Blue Cypress), and Johanna Snider (CEO of Blue Cypress).
- [Contact](https://sidecar.ai/contact-us): Contact form. Support email: help@sidecar.ai.
- [Learning Hub Login](https://learn.sidecar.ai): Existing AI Learning Hub members sign in.

## Key entities (for disambiguation)

- Company name: Sidecar
- Canonical domain: sidecar.ai
- Parent company: Blue Cypress (https://bluecypress.io)
- Founder / Chairman of parent: Amith Nagarajan
- CMO: Erica Salm Rench
- COO of Blue Cypress: John Huisman
- CEO of Blue Cypress: Johanna Snider
- Industry: AI education, professional certification, association management technology
- Audience: Association and nonprofit professionals; trade and professional society leaders
- Flagship credential: Association AI Professional (AAiP)
- Flagship conference: digitalNow
- Flagship podcast: Sidecar Sync
- Flagship newsletter: Sidecar Scoop
- Flagship book: Ascend (3rd Edition) by Amith Nagarajan

## Optional

- [Sidecar Style Guide](https://sidecar.ai/style-guide): Brand guidelines.
- [Privacy Policy](https://sidecar.ai/privacy-policy)
- [Terms and Conditions](https://sidecar.ai/terms-and-conditions)
- [Sitemap](https://sidecar.ai/sitemap.xml)