Seven startups advance to Grand Finals at WiT Singapore

THE travel startup ecosystem is alive and well, despite the ravages of the pandemic, concluded judges at the Global Startup Pitch held August 25, as they named seven startups to advance to the Grand Finals at WiT Singapore 2022, October 3-5.

The seven, chosen out of the 21 semi-finalists from six regions (Asia Pacific, India, Middle East Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America) as well as “Wild Card” category, were:

• Benjamin Assouied, Co-founder and CEO, Worklounge (Asia Pacific)
• Dharmendra Ladi, Co-founder and CEO, Vervotech (India)
• Tiffanie Anderson, Founder, Away To Africa (Middle East Africa)
• Mark Radford, CEO, GOPASS Global (Wild Card)
• Noelia Novella, Co-founder and CEO, Doinn (Europe)
• Renata Franco, Founder, Pinguim (Latin America)
• Camilo Navarro, Co-founder and COO, Wheel The World (North America)

Noelia Novella, co-founder and CEO, Doinn, sharing the pain points her startup which provides cleaning services to short-term rentals is addressing.

After two years of uncertainty, many startups in the travel-tech scene are gearing up to embrace fresh opportunities and tackle new markets as the world settles into endemicity. As seen during the Semi-Finals, startups from all regions have largely adopted a global mindset — focusing not just on local customers but those beyond their own borders.

Mark Radford, CEO, GOPASS Global, talks about how his startup uses data to minimise traveller risks as judges Stephanie Strunk of Expedite Capital and Andrew Kim, Yanolja, pose questions.

Wheel The World, for example, is a startup that’s taking on a major pain point for travellers with disabilities — logistics and accessibility. It provides verified accessibility information and connects travelers from all over the world with locals who can take care of their needs. When asked by the judges about looming competition from larger platforms (like Booking.com), co-founder and COO Camilo Navarro was confident in his startup’s niche proposition and emphasis on genuine quality-driven service.

And what about Vervotech? The adoption of online booking platforms en masse by the hotel industry has created a new set of pain points; double-bookings, incomplete listings, and in many cases, customer dissatisfaction. Vervotech, a hotel mapping and room mapping engine, is using Artificial Intelligence to solve both classic and modern issues in the hospitality scene — on a global scale.

Then there’s Away To Africa, a startup that’s going back to basics to create authentic, culturally driven, sustainable tours across the four corners of “Mama Africa” (in their own words!). As travelers grow more aware of ethical tourism, startups like Away To Africa are creating and curating trips for the modern, conscientious traveler.

Those were just three of the seven finalists. 

Pete Comeau, Phocuswright (top left), wrapping up the Pitch with Morgann Lesne, Cambon Partners (top right) and Steve Taub, Jetblue Technology Ventures.

Speaking during the Post-Game Report, Morgann Lesne, Cambon Partners, said he was impressed by the energy, creativity and resilience of the presenting startups. “It’s proof of the resilience of travel,” he said, as he urged the entrepreneurs to “keep going, keep pushing”. “There’s no substitute for hard work and patience,” he said.

Steve Taub, managing director of investments at JetBlue Technology Ventures, said, “Founder-market-fit is important – having the right connections, attitudes and skills set.”

Both Taub and Lesne have been involved with the Global Startup Pitch, by WiT and Phocuswright, from the start. They were among the panel of judges who whittled down the total of more than 120 entries to the 30 startups who presented in Round 1 in May. “There’s definitely a trend of serving under-served population – solo women travellers in Latin America, Wheel The World addressing accessibility.”

Lesne noted the trend of startups serving communities, “to understand the specific needs of the communities – you have an angle that large OTAs don’t have”. He also said he’d like to see more startups address “the software side of the industry, infrastructure. It’s tough to get in but there are tons of opportunities in that space.”

Both judges also noted the trend of digital nomads – Taub for example singling out health insurance for these workers. “There are so many needs that will emerge out of this trend,” he said.

Benjamin Assouied, Co-founder and CEO, Worklounge, taking questions from the judges, Timothy Hughes, Agoda; Meredith Carson, Golden Equator Group and Mary Li, Atlas.

While all seven startups are successful in their own right, imagine the impact they could create with an expanded awareness and the right funding, from the right people. It is therefore crucial that these founders, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and representatives bring their A-game to the Grand Finals at WiT Singapore.

A round of applause to all the winners. We’ll see you at WiT Singapore, Oct 3-5.