Following the success of the 2019 Booking Booster accelerator programme, geared towards supporting sustainable tourism initiatives, all four qualifying Asian startups have been awarded grants from Booking.com’s €2 million fund.
The four startups were:
- NotOnMap (India) for €250k
- SASANE Sisterhood Trekking and Travel (Nepal) for €175k
- Picha Eats (Malaysia) for €175k
- Sumba Hospitality Foundation (Indonesia) for €100k
The funding was granted following a pitch to a live audience and judges. All the participating startups, whether receiving a grant or not, will receive a year of ongoing mentoring and coaching from Booking.com.
This includes opportunities and access to collaborate with Booking.com on potential innovation initiatives and experiments to accelerate the startups’ ability to scale, including projects undertaken together with the Booking Cares Volunteer Program.
The startups will also get the chance to join Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) startups program: AWS Activate – giving them access to resources they need to quickly get started on AWS, like credits, training, and support.
The ten startups that participated in the 2019 programme hail from eight different countries and operate collectively worldwide. Their businesses also represent a diverse mix of products that leverage technology to facilitate environmental and wildlife conservation, as well empower at-risk communities to thrive through inclusive approaches to tourism.
“I am so impressed by the incredible dedication of these amazing startups and the innovative solutions they are developing to protect communities and resources in every corner of the globe,” said Gillian Tans, President and CEO of Booking.com.
“We have long believed that technology is a powerful instrument for good, including when it comes to sustainable travel. I’m so proud of each and every one of these passionate change-makers and am looking forward to following their progress.”
The two highest-earning recipients were Australia’s Okra Solar – solar grid technology aiming to provide affordable electricity to people without access – and Colombia’s IMPULSE Travel, which is an in-destination activities platform that empowers local communities. Both startups earned the maximum grant of €400k.
