Hotelbeds and Wayra, Telefónica's open innovation hub, have partnered to create the TravelTech Lab by Hotelbeds to redesign the future of travel. The companies—leaders in their respective fields of TravelTech and innovation—will work together for the next 15 months supporting startups to explore innovative, technology-based solutions that change the way travelers move, connect, and explore.
Over the past year, Hotelbeds has undergone a transformation, evolving from a bedbank to a leading B2B TravelTech company. Their philosophy of reshaping the travel ecosystem has driven their alliance with Wayra. Coinciding with the launch of the TravelTech Lab, Hotelbeds and Wayra have also launched their first challenge for startups. Their goal is to receive proposals from entrepreneurs with business plans to connect stakeholders in the global travel ecosystem and create a seamless travel experience. Startups selected to join the hub will be able to benefit from investments, including grants of up to €40,000 from Hotelbeds to bring their ideas to life, as well as expert advice and guidance, and support and business development opportunities from the leaders of both companies. They will also be able to work with other like-minded innovators at Wayra's headquarters in central Madrid and Hotelbeds' headquarters in Palma de Mallorca. Nicolas Huss, CEO of Hotelbeds, said: "Hotelbeds and Wayra are two like-minded companies, both focused on finding the next big technological revolution that will reshape the global travel landscape. We have seen the ecosystem change recently and have been actively working to reduce friction across the travel spectrum. Now, joining forces with Wayra is an exciting opportunity to accelerate these plans and solidify our position as a global leader in TravelTech, while supporting the next generation of tech startups looking to create innovative products, bring them to market, and scale their businesses." Irene Gómez Luque, Director of Telefónica Open Innovation, added: "Collaborating The creation of the TravelTech Lab by Hotelbeds is an exciting project to which we are delighted to lend all our experience in the international entrepreneurial ecosystem. Together we will navigate the search for the most innovative startups in the travel and tourism sector that can create a real impact on the business and help in its digital transformation."
Entrepreneurs are encouraged to visit the traveltechlab.net website for more information and to apply for the challenge. The submission deadline is March 28th, and the winners will be announced in May 2023. Entrepreneurs whose projects align with the challenge will also have the opportunity to meet with representatives from both companies at the Wayra booth at 4YFN—part of the Mobile World Congress—in Barcelona on March 1st, 2023, to learn more about the challenge.