On November 4th we co-hosted the first in-person edition of the FutureTravel Summit in Barcelona. A day of connection, inspiration, and exploration, the FutureTravel Summit brought together different voices and perspectives from across the travel industry, discussing what’s next for the future of travel and what’s shaping this dynamic industry.
We enjoyed insightful keynotes, lively panel discussions and networking sessions that were full of energy and buzz. One stand-out part of the day was the Pitch Competition. The competition, which brought 10 of the hottest early-stage traveltech startups from across the globe to the stage in Barcelona, was a captivating affair, bringing a lot of excitement, energy and memorable moments.
Finding the world’s hottest travel startup
After receiving around 200 applications to take part in the hotly-anticipated pitch competition, we narrowed down the list to 10 finalists. Each candidate startup was carefully looked at, pitch decks scrutinized and the 10 most promising startups hand selected. One thing that stood out, was that of these 10 startups, the majority had diverse founding teams, showing that the future of the travel industry is inclusive and open.
Coming from across the world, the 10 finalists took to the stage to pitch their idea in just 3 minutes in front of an expert jury and our attendees. The jury then had the chance to ask questions, and raise the pressure level. The stakes were high, with the winning startup having to impress to be able to walk away with the generous prize package.
The Prize and Jury
The winning startup team of the FutureTravel Pitch Competition received a prize package with a value of around €56k in credits, which included a spot in the Scaleway Growth Program valued at €36k, $10k in Freshworks credits for their product suite, and €9,9k in credits for an explainer video maker premium account of Simpleshow.
The female-led jury included a mix of well-known venture capital investors: Meryem Aydin Conde (Amadeus), Michele Luperini (Plug & Play), and Merce Tell (Nekko Capital).
And the winner was….
This year’s competition was fierce. An in-person pitch, an expert jury, an engaged audience, and a ticking timer all to contend with.
The winner of the FutureTravel Summit 2022 Pitch Competition was NeoKe!
Taking home the pitch competition crown (and cheque) was Neoke, a startup on a mission to solve the problem of manual ID verification processes at airports, hotels, and car rentals by transitioning to digital IDs.
Built in Germany, NeoKe was founded in 2022 with the aim of bringing more digital solutions to the travel industry, bringing the sector up to standard and removing friction for travellers. The startup connects booking platforms and travel services directly to the digital ID of a traveller for easier trip planning and booking.
Congratulations, NeoKe!
Made possible by sponsors
The FutureTravel Summit was only possible with the support of our amazing sponsors:
Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower: The space that hosted this year’s event, Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower is part of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, a leading American multinational hospitality company that has been managing and franchising luxury and business hotels, resorts, and vacation properties since 1957. As of today, Hyatt’s portfolio includes more than 1,150 hotel and all-inclusive properties in 70 countries across six continents. The hotel, designed by the prestigious British architect Richard Rogers, has a futuristic silhouette, and offers different possibilities from small to large meetings, as well as for pleasure, making it ideal for guests who want to enjoy a luxurious treatment with personalized services that anticipates their every need.
TravelPerk: Born in Barcelona, TravelPerk is the next-generation business travel platform pioneering the future of business travel and empowering people to get together in real life. The all-in-one platform gives travellers the freedom they want whilst providing companies with the control they need – saving time, money, and hassle for everyone. TravelPerk is a traveltech unicorn and has the world’s largest travel inventory alongside powerful management features, 24/7 customer support, state-of-the-art technology and consumer-grade design, all of which are enabling companies worldwide to get the most out of their travel.
LUGGit: How often did you wonder what to do with your luggage before check-in or after check-out? LUGGit solves this for you by providing a luggage pickup, storage and delivery service. Through the mobile app or the website, you can request a Keeper (driver) to collect your luggage where you are, store it for as long as you need and deliver it back to the place and time of your choice. LUGGit has been operating in 5 European cities (Lisbon, Porto, Vienna, Prague and Barcelona), and in 2020, it was considered the 2nd Most Innovative Solution in the World by the World Tourism Organization.
Passero: Offering a visual, collaborative itinerary planner for millennial and Gen Z travellers who obsessively chase new experiences, Passero is one of the industry’s new game-changers. Using Passero, you can organize all your ideas in one place, make decisions faster using our custom-designed surveys, and create a shareable itinerary within minutes. Passero is launching a new community-driven marketplace where travellers can exchange ideas and stories with other like-minded travellers and receive personalized offers from relevant providers while they actively plan. Passero makes planning fun for travellers and conversion marketing affordable for travel service providers.
