Travel Tech’s initiative to accelerate and support the next generation of travel technology | News
Laura Chadwick, president and CEO of Travel Tech
The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) hosted its latest Start-Up & Investor Connect Webinar, where five early-stage founders presented a new generation of AI-powered innovations designed to modernize the way travel is planned, sold and experienced. During the hour-long pitch session, one theme stood out; AI-driven infrastructure is quickly becoming the defining focus of early-stage travel technology.
The session brought together a global group of travel-savvy angel and seed investors, including leaders with deep experience in OTAs, aviation, hospitality technology and destination marketing. Investors were invited to contribute to the companies’ funding rounds and provided the founders with candid feedback on scalability, integrations, and real-world applicability.
Founders of Nappr, Pintours, Solutionz, Drifter AI and FleetFare presented products built to solve fundamental industry challenges, from hotel inventory monetization and real-world AI orchestration to destination visibility and voice booking.
“What stood out today was the consistency of the problems these founders are solving,” said Laura Chadwick, president and CEO of Travel Tech. “Travel is entering a new era where AI is changing the way trips are planned, how suppliers operate and how destinations are discovered. The companies presented today are building the infrastructure that will drive the industry forward, and Travel Tech is committed to supporting that innovation and fueling the momentum behind the next generation of travel technology.”
Startups that pitched
Nappr – A marketplace for hotel microstays and travel recovery, offering two- to 12-hour stays with major hotel brands. In addition to day-use rooms, Nappr is building a broader vision to become the infrastructure layer for travel recovery, including future airport sleep pods. Nappr has completed nearly 3,000 bookings, is growing 50x year over year and expanding offerings in 35 countries.
Pintours – An AI engine that powers real, personalized experiences for major travel brands. Pintours digitizes human-driven experiences and orchestrates real-world actions such as reservations, transportation, and event coordination. The company has generated more than $2.2 million in revenue since launch and is on track for annualized revenues of $7 million.
Solutionz – proximity-based travel enablement platform that integrates travel commerce and smart marketing tools directly into CRMs, calendars, contact management systems and business platforms. Solutionz helps partners acquire high-intent travelers at a fraction of traditional acquisition costs.
Drifter AI – An AI visibility platform that helps destinations understand and improve how they appear in major AI engines. Drifter tracks travel intent, identifies gaps and generates action plans for tourism agencies. Thirty-two DMOs on four continents have already generated snapshots with the platform.
FleetFare – voice-activated booking and service tool that allows small operators, tour providers and local businesses to manage search, booking and customer communications. FleetFare integrates with GDS systems and offers both subscription and booking fee models.
A vote was taken and Nappr was recognized for the most innovative and compelling solution to a real challenge. Pintours was also recognized for having the strongest market potential, scalability and most compelling.
A growing home base for travel tech founders
The Start-Up & Investor Connect Webinar is part of Travel Tech’s broader efforts to support start-up companies by giving them direct access to investors, industry expertise and a growing peer community. Travel Tech has now hosted multiple cohorts and continues to see investor engagement and founder demand increase.
“Travel Tech will be the permanent home for the travel technology startup community,” said Chadwick. “We want to give founders the visibility, connections and policy insights they need to scale.”
The next Start‑Up & Investor Connect Webinar will take place on Wednesday, September 16.
Founders interested in pitching at future sessions can join Travel Tech’s Start-Up Membership Program, which gives companies access to programming and connections designed to help founders scale – including peer networking, educational sessions, investor introductions, policy insights and opportunities to connect directly with travel industry leaders. Learn more about Travel Tech’s Startup Membership Program.
