B2B platform HBX Group and Wayra, Telefónica’s Corporate Venture Capital arm, have announced the winners of the second TravelTech Lab challenge. The announcement comes after a rigorous evaluation of 120 companies hailing from 25 countries, including Spain, France, UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Korea.
Out of the many contenders, only six start-ups were given the opportunity to present their ventures before a jury comprising experts from both HBX Group and Wayra. The pitching sessions took place during 4FYN, a segment of the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona.
The challenge specifically aimed to highlight start-ups specialising in virtual reality, the metaverse, and AI.
Amongst the winners are Firstview, Hotelverse, Didit (Gamium), and Unblock. These start-ups have been selected to join the TravelTech Lab, recognised for their solutions that aim to enhance engagement distribution within the TravelTech landscape.
Firstview offers hotels a suite of immersive digital content, including virtual reality tours and panoramic views, empowering hotels to showcase their offerings with vividness and depth. Hotelverse, on the other hand, enables travellers to virtually explore and personalise hotel rooms, promising a personalised booking experience.
Didit (Gamium) stands out with its platform that integrates NFC, blockchain, and artificial intelligence technologies to facilitate secure identity verification and smart digital payments. Meanwhile, Unblock presents an intuitive application serving as a gateway to citizen services, offering access in a user-friendly and visually appealing way.
These start-ups are set to benefit from expert guidance and mentorship from industry leaders and experts. Moreover, they will integrate into Wayra’s ecosystem and collaborate closely with HBX Group teams to explore business opportunities. Notably, HBX Group may extend grants of up to €40,000 to support the realisation and pilot testing of their proposals.
The selected start-ups will also gain access to a community of like-minded innovators, with Wayra’s seven spaces across Europe and Latin America, as well as HBX Group’s hubs in Mallorca and Madrid, serving as incubators for collaborative ideation and growth.
Commenting on the alliance, Andrés Saborido, COO of Wayra, expressed enthusiasm, stating that Wayra is proud to extend its support to visionary winners as they aim to make a tangible impact on their businesses and address the evolving market challenges.
José María Pestaña, Chief Innovation & Public Affairs Officer at HBX Group, echoed similar sentiments, emphasising the pivotal role of innovation in shaping the TravelTech landscape.
